• 


'        .     •- 

- 


, 

•  .  • 


A 


MARITAL  POWER  EXEMPLIFIED 


.  Mrs.  Packard's  Trial, 


AND 


SELF-DEFENCE  FROM  THE  CHARGE  OF  INSANITY; 


OB 


Three  Years'  Imprisonment  for  Reunions  Belief, 


BY  THE 


ARBITRARY  WILL  OF  A  HUSBAND, 


WITH 


Afl  APPEAL  TO  THE  GOVERNMENT  TO  SO  CHANGE  THE  LAWS 
AS  TO  AFFORD 

Legal  Protection  to  Married  Women. 


BY  MRS.  E.  P.  W.  PACKARD. 


CHICAGO: 

OLABKE    &   CO.,   PUBLISHERS, 
1  8  7'0. 


Introduction,  .......          3 

The  Great  Trial  of  Mrs.  Elizabeth  P.  W.  Packard,  who  was  confined 

Three  Years  in  the  State  Asylum  of  Illinois,  charged  by  her 

• 

Husband,  Rev.  TheophQus  Packard,  with  being  Insane.    Her 
discharge  from  the  Asylum,  and  subsequent  Imprisonment  at 
her  own  House  by  her  Husband.    Her  release  on  a  Writ  of 
Habeas  Corpus,  and  the  question  of  her  Sanity  tried  by  a  Jury. 
Her  Sanity  fully  established,    .  .  .  .13 

Narrative  of  events  continued,  *  .  .  .  tt 

Miscellaneous  questions  answered,  .  .  .  .  .61 

False  Reports  corrected,  .  .  .  .  .  85 

Note  of  thanks  to  my  Patrons  and  the  Press,         .  .  .      107 

Testimonials,       .  .  •  .  .  •  .  117 

Conclusion,  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  •      126 

An  Appeal  to  the  Government,  *  •  130 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1866,  by 

MRS.  E.  P.  W.  PACKARD, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Connecticut 


INTRODUCTION. 


A  BRIEF  narrative  of  the  events  which  occasioned  the  following 
Trial  seems  necessary  aa  an  Introduction  to  it,  and  are  here  presented 
for  the  kind  reader's  candid  consideration.  It  was  in  a  Bible-class  in 
Manteno,  Kankakee  County,  Illinois,  that  I  defended  some  religious 
opinions  which  conflicted  with  the  Creed  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
in  that  place,  which  brought  upon  me  the  charge  of  insanity.  It 
was  at  the  invitation  of  Deacon  Dole,  the  teacher  of  that  Bible-class, 
that  I  consented  to  become  his  pupil,  and  it  was  at  his  special  request 
that  I  brought  forward  my  views  to  the  consideration  of  the  class. 
The  class  numbered  six  when  I  entered  it,  and  forty-six  when  I  left 
it.  I  was  about  four  months  a  member  of  it  I  had  not  the  least 
suspicion  of  danger  or  harm  arising  in  any  way,  either  to  myself  or 
others,  from  thus  complying  with  his  wishes,  and  thus  uttering  some 
of  my  honestly  cherished  opinions.  I  regarded  the  principle  of  re- 
ligious tolerance  as  the  vital  principle  on  which  our  government  was 
based,  and  I  in  my  ignorance  supposed  this  right  was  protected  to  all 
American  citizens,  even  to  the  wives  of  clergymen.  But,  alas !  my 
own  sad  experience  has  taught  me  the  danger  of  believing  a  lie  on 
so  vital  a  question.  The  result  was,  I  was  legally  kidnapped  and 
imprisoned  three  years  simply  for  uttering  these  opinions  under  these 
circumstances. 

I  was  kidnapped  in  the  following  manner. — Early  on  the  morning 
of  the  18th  of  June,  1860,  as  I  arose  from  my  bed,  preparing  to  take 
my  morning  bath,  I  saw  my  husband  approaching  my  door  with  our 
two  physicians,  both  members  of  his  church  and  of  our  Bible-class, — 
and  a  stranger  gentleman,  sheriff  Burgess.  Fearing  exposure  I  hastily 
locked  my  door,  and  proceeded  with  the  greatest  dispatch  to  dress 
myself.  But  before  I  had  hardly  commenced,  my  husband  forced 
nn  entrance  into  my  room  through  the  window  with  an  axe!  And 
I,  for  shelter  and  protection  against  an  exposure  in  a  state  of  almost 
entire  nudity,  sprang  into  bed,  just  in  time  to  receive  my  unexpected 


INTRODUCTION. 

gue>t«.  The  trio  approached  my  bed,  and  each  doctor  felt  my  pulse, 
and  without  asking  a  single  question  both  pronounced  me  iusane. 
So  it  seems  that  in  the  estimation  of  these  two  M.  D's,  Dr.  Merrick 
and  Newkirk,  insanity  is  indicated  by  the  action  of  the  pulse  instead 
of  the  mind !  Of  course,  my  pulse  was  bounding  at  the  time  from 
excessive  fright ;  and  I  a*k,  what  lady  of  refinement  and  fine  and 
tender  sensibilities  would  not  have  a  quickened  pulse  by  such  an  un- 
timely, unexpected,  unmanly,  and  even  outrageous  entrance  into  her 
private  sleeping  room  ?  I  say  it  would  be  impossible  for  any  woman, 
unless  she  was  either  insane  or  insensible  to  her  surroundings,  not  to 
be  agitated  under  such  circumstances^  This  was  the  only  medical 
examination  I  had.  This  was  the  only  trial  of  any  kijid  that  I  was 
allowed  to  have^  to  prove  the  charge  of  insanity  brought  •against  me 
by  my.  husband.  I  had  no  chance  of  self  defence  whatever.  My 
husband  then  informed  me  that  the  "  forms  of  law  "  were  all  complied 
with,  and  he  therefore  requested  me  to  dress  myself  for  a  ride  to 
Jacksonville,  to  enter  the  In-sane  Asylum  as  an  inmate.  I  objected, 
and  protested  against  being  imprisoned  without  any  trial.  But  to  no 
purpose.  My  husband  insisted  upon  it  that  I  had  no  protection  in 
the  law,  but  himself,  and  that  he  was  doing  by  me  just  as  the  laws 
of  the  State  allowed  him  to  do.  I  could  not  then  credit  this  state~ 
ment,  but  now  know  it  to  be  too  sadly  true ;  for  the  Statute  of  Illi- 
nois expressly  states  that  a  man  may  put  his  wife  into  an  Insane 
Asylum  without  evidence  of  insanity..  This  law  now  stands  on  the 
26th  page,  section  10,  of  the  Illinois  statute  book,  under  the  general 
head  of  "  charities  "!  The  law  was  passed  February  15,  1851. 

I  told  my  husband  I  should  not  go  voluntarily  into  the  Asylum,  and 
leave  my  six  children  and  my  precious  babe  of  eighteen  months, 
without  some  kind  of  trial ;  and  that  the  law  of  force*  brute  force, 
would  be  the  only  power  that  should  thus  put  me  there!  I  then 
begged  of  him  to  handle  me  gently,  if  he. was  determined  to  force  me, 
as  I  was  easily  hurt,  and  should  make  no  physical  resistance.  I  was 
soon  in  the  hands  of  the  sheriff,  who  forced  me  from  my  home  by 
ordering  two  men  to  carry  me  to  the  wagon  which  took  me  to  the 
dt'pot.  Esquire  Labrie,  our  nearest  neighbor,  who  witnessed  this 
scene,  said  he  was  willing  to  testify  before  any  court  under  oath,  that 
"  Mrs.  Packard  was  literally  kidnapped."  I  was  carried  to  the  cars 
from  the  depot  in  the  arms  of  two  strong  men,  whom  my  husband  ap- 
pointed for  this  purpose,  amid  the  silent  and  almost  speechless  ga»e 
of  a  larf  e  crowd  of  citizens  who  had  collected  for  the  purpose  of  res- 


INTRODUCTION  it 

cuing  me  from  the  hands  of  my  persecutors.  But  they  were  pre- 
vented from  executing  their  purpose  by  the  lie  Deacon  Dole  was 
requested  by  my  husband  to  tell  the  excited  crowd,  viz :  that  "The 
Sheriff  has  legal  papers  to  defend  this  proceeding,"  and  they  well 
knew  that  for  them  to  resist  the  Sheriff,  the  laws  would  expose  them- 
selves to  imprisonment.  The  Sheriff  confessed  afterwards  to  persons 
who  are  now  willing  to  testify  under  oath,  that  he  told  them  that  he 
did  not  have  a  sign  of  a  legal  paper  with  him,  simply  because  the 
probate  court  refused  to  give  him  any,  because,  as  they  affirmed,  he 
had  not  given  them  one  evidence  of  insanity  in  the  case.  Sheriff 
Burgess  died  while  I  was  incarcerated. 

When  once  in  the  Asylum  I  was  beyond  the  reach  of  all  human 
aid,  except  what  could  come  through  my  husband,  since  the  law 
allows  no  one  to  take  them  out,  except  the  one  who  put  them  in,  or 
by  his  consent ;  and  my  husband  determined  never  to  take  me  out, 
until  I  recanted  my  new  opinions,  claiming  that  I  was  incurably 
insane  so  long  as  I  could  not  return  to  my  old  standpoint  of 
religious  belief.  Of  course,  I  could  not  believe  at  my  option,  but 
only  as  light  and  evidence  was  presented  to  my  own  mind,  and  I  was 
too  conscientious  to  act  the  hypocrite,  by  professing  to  believe  what  I 
could  not  believe.  I  was  therefore  pronounced  "hopelessly  insane," 
and  in  about  six  weeks  from  the  date  of  my  imprisonment,  my  hus- 
band made  his  arrangements  to  have  me,  henceforth,  legally  regarded 
as  hopelessly  insane.  In  this  defenceless,  deplorable  condition  I  lay 
closely  imprisoned  three  years,  being  never  allowed  to  step  iny  foot  on 
the  ground  after  the  first  four  months.  At  the  expiration  of  three 
year?,  my  oldest  son,  Theophilus,  became  of  age,  when  he  immediately 
availed  himself  of  his  manhood,  by  a  legal  compromise  with  his  father 
and  the  trustees,  wherein  he  volunteered  to  hold  himself  wholly  re- 
sponsible for  my  support  for  life,  if  bis  father  would  only  consent  to 
take  me  out  of  my  prison.  This  proposition  was  accepted  by  Mr. 
Packard,  with  this  proviso:  that  if  ever  I  returned  to  my  own  home 
and  children  he  should  put  me  in  again  for  life.  The  Trustees  had 
previously  notified  Mr.  Packard  that  I  must  be  removed,  as  they 
should  keep  me  no  longer.  Had  not  this  been  the  case,  my  son's 
proposition  would  doubtless  have  been  rejected  by  him. 

The  reasons  why  the  Trustees  took  this  position  was,  because  they 
became  satisfied  that  I  was  not  a  fit  subject  for  that  institution,  in  the 
following  manner:  On  one  of  their  official  visits  to  the  institution,  I 
coaxed  Dr.  McFarland,  superintendent  of  the  Asylum,  to  let  me  go 


6  INTRODUCTION. 

before  them  and  ''  fire  a  few  guns  at  Calvinism,"  as  I  expressed  my- 
self, that  they  might  know  and  judge  for  themselves  whether  I  de- 
served a  life-long  imprisonment  for  indulging  such  opinions.  Dr.  Me 
Farland  replied  to  my  request,  that  the  Trustees  were  Calvinists,  and 
the  chairman  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Synod  of  the  United 
States. 

"  Never  mind,"  said  I,  "  I  dont  care  if  they  are,  I  am  not  afraid  to 
defend  my  opinions  even  before  the  Synod  itsel£  I  dont  want  to  be 
locked  up  here  all  my  lifetime  without  doing  something.  But  if  they 
are  Calvinists,"  I  added,  "  you  may  be  sure  they  will  call  me  insane, 
and  then  you  will  have  them  to  back  you  up  in  your  opinion  and  po- 
sition respecting  me."  This  argument  secured  his  consent  to  let  me 
go  before  them.  He  also  let  me  have  two  sheets  of  paper  to  write  my 
opinions  upon.  "With  my  document  prepared,  "  or  gun  loaded,"  as  I 
called  it,  and  examined  by  the  Doctor  to  see  that  all  .was  right,  that 
is,  that  it  contained  no  exposures  of  himself,  I  entered  the  Trustees' 
room,  arm  in  arm  with  the  Doctor,  dressed  in  as  attractive  and  taste- 
ful a  style  as  my  own  wardrobe  and  that  of  my  attendant's  would  per- 
mit. Mr.  Packard  was  present,  and  he  said  to  my  friends  afterwards 
that  he  never  saw  his  wife  look  so  "  sweet  and  attractive  "  as  I  then 
did.  After  being  politely  and  formally  introduced  to  the  Trustees,  in- 
dividually, I  was  seated  by  the  chairman,  to  receive  his  permission 
to  speak,  in  the  following  words :  "  Mrs.  Packard,  we  have  heard  Mr. 
Packard's  statement,  and  the  Doctor  said  you  would  like  to  speak  for. 
yourself.  We  will  allow  you  ten  minutes  for  that  purpose." 

I  then  took  out  my  gold  watch,  (which  was  my  constant  companion 
in  my  prison,)  and  looking  at  it,  said  to  the  Doctor,  "  please  tell  me 
if  I  overgo  my  limits,  will  you  ?  "  And  then  commenced  reading  my 
document  in  a  quiet,  calm,  clear,  tone  of  voice.  It  commenced  with 
these  words :  "  Gentlemen,  I  am  accused  of  teaching  my  children 
doctrines  ruinous  in  their  tendency,  and  such  as  alienate  them  from 
their  father.  I  reply,  that  my  teachings  and  practice  both,  are  ruin- 
ous to  Satan's  cause,  and  do  alienate  my  children  from  Satanic  in- 
fluences. I  teach  Christianity,  my  husband  teaches  Calvinism.  They 
are  antagonistic  systems  and  uphold  antagonistic  authorities.  Chris- 
tianity upholds  God's  authority;  Calvinism  the  devil's  authority ," 
&c.,  &c. 

Thus  I  went  on,  most  dauntlessly  and  fearlessly  contrasting  the 
two  systems,  as  I  viewed  them,  until  my  entire  document  was  read, 
without  being  interrupted,  although  my  time  had  more  than  expired. 


iHTRODUCflOS.  7 

Confident  I  had  secured  their  interest  as  well  as  attention,  I  ventured 
to  ask  if  I  might  be  allowed  to  read  another  document  I  held  in  my 
hand,  which  the  Doctor  had  not  seen.  The  request  was  voted  upon 
and  met  not  only  with  an  unanimous  response  in  the  affirmative,  but  sev- 
eral cried  out :  "  Let  her  go  on !  Let  us  hear  the  whole ! "  This  doc- 
ument bore  heavily  upon  Mr.  Packard  and  the  Doctor  both.  Still 
I  was  tolerated.  The  room  was  so  still  I  could  have  heard  a  clock 
tick.  When  I  had  finished,  instead  of  then  dismissing  me,  they  com- 
menced questioning  me,  and  I  only  rejoiced  to  answer  their  questions, 
being  careful  however  not  to  let  slip  any  chance  I  found  to  expose 
the  darkest  parts  of  this  foul  conspiracy,  wherein  Mr.  Packard  and 
their  Superintendent  were  the  chief  actors.  Packard  and  McFarland 
both  sat  silent  and  speechless,  while  I  fearlessly  exposed  their  wicked 
plot  against  my  personal  liberty  and  my  rights.  They  did  not  deny 
or  contradict  one  statement  I  made,  although  so  very  hard  upon  them 
both. 

Thus  nearly  one  hour  was  passed,  when  Mr.  Packard  was  re- 
quested to  leave  the  room.  The  Doctor  left  also,  leaving  me  alone 
with  the  Trustees.  These  intelligent  men  at  once  endorsed  my  state- 
ment?, and  became  my  friends.  They  offered  me  my  liberty  at 
once,  and  said  that  anything  I  wanted  they  stood  ready  to  do  for  me. 
Mr.  Brown,  the  Chairman,  said  he  saw  it  was  of  no  use  for  me  to  go 
to  my  husband ;  but  said  they  would  send  me  to  my  children  if  I 
wished  to  go,  or  to  my  father  in  Massachusetts,  or  they  would  board 
me  up  in  Jacksonville.  I  thanked  them  for  their  kind  and  generous 
offers ;  "  but,"  said  I,  "  it  is  of  no  use  for  me  to  accept  of  any  one 
of  them,  for  I  am  still  Mr.  Packard's  wife,  and  there  is  no  law  in 
America  to  protect  a  wife  from  her  husband.  I  am  not  safe  from  him 
outside  these  walls,  on  this  continent,  unless  I  flee  to  Canada ;  and 
there,  I  don't  know  as  a  fugitive  wife  is  safe  from  her  husband.  The 
truth  is,  he  is  determined  to  keep  me  in  an  Asylum  prison  as  long  as 
I  live,  if  it  can  be  done ;  and  since  no  law  prevents  his  doing  so,  I 
see  no  way  for  me  but  to  live  and  die  in  this  prison.  I  may  as  well 
die  here  as  in  any  other  prison." 

These  manly  gentlemen  apprehended  my  sad  condition  and  ex- 
pressed their  real  sympathy  for  me,  but  did  not  know  what  to  advise 
me  to  do.  Therefore  they  left  it  to  me  and  the  Doctor  to  do  as  we 
might  think  best  I  suggested  to  the  Doctor  that  I  write  a  book,  and 
in  this  manner  lay  my  case  before  the  People— the  government  of  the 
United  States — and  ask  for  the  protection  of  the  laws.  The  Doctor 


8  INTRODUCTION. 

fell  in  with  this  suggestion,  and  I  accordingly  wrote  my  great  book 
of  seven  hundred  pagesr  entitled  "  The  Great  Drama, — An  Alle- 
gory," the  first  installment  of  which  is  already  in  print  and  six  thous- 
and copies  in  circulation.  This  occupied  me  nine  months,  which  com- 
pleted my  three  years  of  prison  life. 

The  Trustees  now  ordered  Mr.  Packard  to  take  me  away,  as  no 
one  else  could  legally  remove  me.  I  protested  against  being  put  into 
his  hands  without  some  protection,  knowing,  as  I  did,  that  he  intended 
to  incarcerate  me  for  life  in  Northampton  Asylum,  if  he  ever  re- 
moved me  from  this.  But,  like  as  I  entered  the  Asylum  against  my 
will,  and  in  spite  of  my  protest,  so  I  was  put  out  of  it  into  the  abso- 
lute power  of  my  persecutor  again,  against  my  will,  and  in  spite  of  my 
protest  to  the  contrary. 

I  was  accordingly  removed  to  Granville,  Putnam  County,  Illinois, 
and  placed  in  the  family  of  Mr.  David  Field,  who  married  my  adopted 
sister,  where  my  son  paid  my  board  for  about  four  months.  During 
this  time,  Granville  community  became  acquainted  with  me  and  the 
facts  in  the  case,  and  after  holding  a  meeting  of  the  citizens  on  the 
subject  the  result  was,  that  Sheriff  Leaper  was  appointed  to  commu- 
nicate to  me  their  decision,  which  was,  that  I  go  home  to  my  cliildren 
taking  their  Toluntary  pledge  as  my  protection;  that,  should  Mr. 
Packard  again  attempt  to  imprison  me  "without  a  trial,  that  they  would 
use  their  influence  to  get  him  imprisoned  in  a  penitentiary,  where  they 
thought  the  laws  of  this  Commonwealth  would  place  him.  They 
presented  me  thirty  dollars  also  to  defray  the  expenses  of  my  journey 
home  to  Manteno.  I  returned  to  my  husband  and  little  ones,  only 
to  be,  again  treated  as  a  lunatic.  He  cut  me  off  from  communication 
with  this  community,  and  my  other  friends,  by  intercepting  my  mail ; 
made  me  a  close  prisoner  in  my  own  house ;  refused  me  interviews 
with  friends  who  called  to  see  me,  so  that  he  might  meet  with  no 
interference  in  carrying  out  the  plan  he  had  devised  to  get  me  incar- 
cerated again  for  life.  This  plan  was  providentially  disclosed  to  me, 
by  some  letters  he  accidentally  left  in  my  room  one  night,  wherein  I 
saw  that  I  was  to  be  entered,  hi  a  few  day.*,  into  Northampton  Insane 
Asylum  for  life ;  as  one  of  these  letters  from  Doctor  Prince,  Super- 
intendent of  that  Asylum,  assured  me  of  this  fact.  Another  from  his 
sister,  Mrs.  Marian  Severance,  of  Massachusetts,  revealed  the  mode 
in  which  she  advised  her  brother  to  transfer  me  from  my  home  prison 
to  my  Asylum  prison.  She  advised  him  to  let  me  go  to  New  York, 
under  the  pretence  of  getting  my  book  published,  and  have  him  fol- 


INTRODUCTION. 

low  in  a  train  behind,  assuring  the  conductors  that  I  must  be  treated 
as  an  insane  person,  although  I  should  deny  the  charge,  as  all  insane 
persons  did,  and  thus  make  sure  of  their  aid  as  accomplices  in  this 
conspiracy  against  my  personal  liberty.  The  conductor  must  be 
directed  to  switch  me  off  to  Northampton,  Mass.,  instead  of  taking  me  to 
New  York,  and  as  my  through  ticket  would  indicate  to  me  that  all  was 
right,  she  thought  this  could  be  done  without  arousing  my  suspicions ; 
then  engage  a  carriage  to  transport  me  to  the  Asylum  under  the  pre- 
text of  a  hotel,  and  then  lock  me  up  for  life  as  a  state's  pauper ! 
Then,  said  she,  you  will  have  her  out  of  the  way,  and  can  do  as  you 
please  with  her  property,  her  children,  and  even  her  wardrobe ;  don't, 
says  she,  be  even  responsible  this  time  for  her  clothing.  (Mr.  Pack- 
ard was  responsible  for  my  body  clothing  in  Jacksonville  prison,  but 
for  nothing  else.  I  was  supported  there  three  years  as  a  state  pauper. 
This  fact,  Mr.  Packard  most  adroitly  concealed  from  my  rich  father 
and  family  relatives,  so  that  he  could  persuade  my  deluded  father  to 
place  more  of  my  patrimony  in  his  hands,  under  the  false  pretense 
that  he  needed  it  to  make  his  daughter  more  comfortable  in  the 
Asylum.  My  father  sent  him  money  for  this  purpose,  supposing  Mr. 
Packard  was  paying  my  board  at  the  Asylum.) 

Another  letter  was  from  Dr.  McFarland,  -wherein  I  saw  that  Mr. 
Packard  had  made  application  for  my  readmission  there,  and  Dr.  Me 
Farland  had  consented  to  receive  me  again  as  an  insane  patient ! 
But  the  Trustees  put  their  veto  upon  it,  and  would  not  consent  to  his 
plea  that  I  be  admitted  there  again.  Here  is  his  own  statement, 
which  I  copied  from  his  own  letter:  "Jacksonville,  December  18, 
1863.  Rev.  Mr.  Packard,  Dear  Sir:  The  Secretary  of  the  Trustees 
has  probably  before  this  communicated  to  you  the  result  of  their  ac- 
tion in  the  case  of  Mrs.  Packard.  It  is  proper  enough  to  state  that  I 
favored  her  readmission  " !  Then  follows  his  injunction  to  Mr.  Pack- 
ard to  be  sure  not  to  publish  any  thing  respecting  the  matter.  Why 
is  this  ?  Does  an  upright  course  seek  or  desire  concealment  ?  Nay, 
verily:  It  is  conscious  guilt  alone  that  seeks  concealment,  and 
dreads  agitation  lest  his  crimes  be  exposed.  Mine  is  only  one  of  a 
large  class  of  cases,  where  he  has  consented  to  readmit  a  sane  person, 
particularly  the  wives  of  men,  whose  influence  he  was  desirous  of 
securing  for  the  support  of  himself  in  his  present  lucrative 
position. 

Yes,  many  intelligent  wives  and  mothers  did  I  leave  in  that  awful 
prison,  whose  only  hope  of  liberty  lies  in  the  death  of  their  lawful 


10  INTRODUCTION. 

husbands,  or  in  a  change  of  the  laws,  or  in  a  thorough  ventilation 
of  that  institution.  Such  a  ventilation  is  needed,  in  order  that  jus- 
tice be  done  to  that  class  of  miserable  inmates  who  are  now  unjustly 
confined  there.  . 

When  I  had  read  these  letters  over  three  or  four  times,  to  make  it 
sure  I  had  not  mistaken  their  import,  and  even  took  copies  of  some 
of  them,  I  determined  upon  the  following  expedient  as  my  last  and 
only  resort,  as  a  self  defensive  act. 

There  was  a  stranger  man  who  passed  my  window  daily  to  get 
water  from  our  pump.  One  day  as  he  passed  I  beckoned  to  him  to 
take  a  note  which  I  had  pushed  down  through  where  the  windows 
come  together,  (my  windows  were  firmly  nailed  down  and  screwed 
together,  so  that  I  could  not  open  them,)  directed  to  Mrs.  A.  C.  Has- 
lett,  the  most  efficient  friend  I  knew  of  in  Manteno,  wherein  I  in- 
formed her  of  my  imminent  danger,  and  begged  of  her  if  it  was  pos- 
sible in  any  way  to  rescue  me  to  do  so,  forthwith,  for  in  a  few  days  I 
should  be  beyond  the  reach  of  all  human  help.  She  communicated 
these  facts  to  the  citizens,  when  mob  law  was  suggested  as  the  only 
available  means  of  rescue  which  lay  in  their  power  to  use,  as  no  law 
existed  which  defended  a  wife  from  a  husband's  power,  and  no  man 
dared  to  take  the  responsibility  of  protecting  me  against  my  husband. 
And  one  hint  was  communicated  to  me  clandestinely  that  if  I  would 
only  break  through  my  window,  a  company  was  formed  who  would 
defend  me  when  once  outside  our  house.  This  rather  unlady  like 
mode  of  self  defence  I  did  not  like  to  resort  to,  knowing  as  I  did,  if  I 
should  not  finally  succeed  in  this  attempt,  my  persecutors  would  gain 
advantage  over  me,  in  that  I  had  once  injured  property,  as  a  reason 
why  I  should  be  locked  up.  As  yet,  none  of  my  persecutors  had  not 
the  shadow  of  capital  to  make  out  the  charge  of  insanity  upon,outside 
of  my  opinions  j  for  my  conduct  and  deportment  had  uniformly  been 
kind,  lady-like  and  Christian  ;  and  even  to  thin  date,  January,  1866.  I 
challenge  any  individual  to  prove  me  guilty  of  one  unreasonable  or 
insane  act.  The  lady-like  Mrs.  Haslett  sympathized  with  me  in 
these  views ;  therefore  she  sought  council  of  Judge  Starr  of  Kanka- 
kee  City,  to  know  if  any  law  could  reach  my  case  so  as  to  give  me 
the  justice  of  a  trial  of  any  kind,  before  another  incarceration.  The 
Judge  told  her  that  if  I  was  a  prisoner  in  my  own  house,  and  any 
were  willing  to  take  oath  upon  it,  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus  might  reach 
my  case  and  thus  secure  me  a  trial.  Witnesses  were  easily  found 
who  could  take  oath  to  this  fact,  as  many  had  called  at  our  house  to 


INTRODUCTION.  11 

see  that  my  windows  were  screwed  together  on  the  outside,  and  our 
front  outside  door  firmly  fastened  on  the  outside,  and  our  back  outside 
door  most  vigilantly  guarded  by  day  and  locked  by  night.  In  a  few  days 
this  writ  was  accordingly  executed  by  the  Sheriff  of  the  county,  and 
just  two  days  before  Mr.  Packard  was  intending  to  start  with  me  for 
Massachusetts  to  imprison  me  for  life  in  Northampton  Lunatic  Asylum* 
he  was  required  by  this  writ  to  bring  me  before  the  court  and  give 
his  reasons  to  the  court  why  he  kept  his  wife  a  prisoner.  The  reason 
he  gave  for  so  doing  was,  that  I  was  Insane.  The  Judge  replied, 
"  Prove  it ! "  The  Judge  then  empannelled  a  jury  of  twelve  men, 
and  the  following  Trial  ensued  as  the  result.  This  trial  continued  five 
days.  Thus  my  being  made  a  prisoner  at  my  own  home  was  the  only 
hinge  on  which  my  personal  liberty  for  life  hung,  independent  of  mob 
law,  as  there  is  no  law  in  the  State  that  will  allow  a  married  woman 
the  right  of  a  trial  against  the  charge  of  insanity  brought  against  her 
by  her  husband ;  and  God  only  knows  how  many  innocent  wives  and 
mothers  my  case  represents,  who  have  thus  lost  their  liberty  for  life, 
by  this  arbitrary  power,  unchecked  as  it  is  by  no  law  on  the  Statute 
book  of  Illinois. 


THE    GREAT   TRIAL 

OF 

MRS.    ELIZABETH   P.  W.   PACKARD, 

WHO  WAS   CONFINED   FOR  THREE  YEARS   IN  THE   STATE  ASYLUM,    OF  ILLINOIS, 
OHARSEB  BY  HER  HUSBAND,  REV.  THEOPHILUS  PACKARD,    WITH  BEING 
INSANE.        HER  DISCHARGE   FROM  THE   ASYLUM,    AND    SUBSE- 
QUENT  IMPRISONMENT    AT   HER  OWTC   HOUSE   BY  HER     • 
HUSBAND.        HER   RELEASE    ON   A   WRIT    OF 

Habeas  Corpus,  AND  TUB  QUESTION 

OF     HEB     SANITY     TRIED 

BY  A   JURY. 
HER  SANITY  FULLY  ESTABLISHED. 

•       ..  

A   FULL  REPORT  OP  THE   TRIAL,   INCIDENTS,   ETC. 
BY  STEPHEN  B.  MOORE,    ATTORNEY  AT  LAW. 


IN  preparing  a  report  of  this  trial,  the  writer  has  had  but  one  object 
in  view,  namely,  to  present  a  faithful  history  of  the  case  as  narrated  by 
the  witnesses  upon  the  stand,  who  gave  their  testimony  under  the 
solemnity  of  an  oath.  The  exact  language  employed  by  the  witnesses, 
has  been  used,  and  the  written  testimony  given  in  full,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  a  letter,  written  by  Dr.  McFarland,  to  Rev.  Theophilua 
Packard,  which  letter  was  retained  by  Mr.  Packard,  and  the  writer  waa 
unable  to  obtain  a  copy.  The  substance  of  the  letter  is  found  in  the 
body  of  the  report,  and  has  been  submitted  to  the  examination  of  Mr. 
Packard's  counsel,  who  agree  that  it  is  correctly  stated. 

This  case  was  on  trial  before  the  Hon.  Charles  R.  Starr,  at  Kankakee 
City,  Illinois,  from  Monday,  January  llth,  1864,  to  Tuesday  the  19th, 
and  came  up  on  an  application  made  by  Mrs.  Packard,  under  the  Habeas 
Corpus  Act,  to  be  discharged  from  imprisonment  by  her  husband  in 
their  own  house. 

The  case  has  disclosed  a  state  of  facts  most  wonderful  and  startling. 
Reverend  Theophilus  Packard  came  to  Manteno,  in  Kankakee  county, 
Illinois,  seven  years  since,  and  has  remained  in  charge  of  the  Preabyte- 
rian  Church  of  that  place  until  the  past  two  years. 

In  the  winter  of  1859  and  1860,   there   were  differences  of  opinion 


TRIAL   OF   MRS.  PACKARD.  13 

between  Mr.  Packard  and  Mrs.  Packard,  upon  matters  of  leligicm, 
which  resulted  in  prolonged  and  vigorous  debate  La  the  home  circle. 
The  heresies  maintained  by  Mrs.  Packard  were  carried  by  the  husband 
from  the  fireside  to  the  pulpit,  and  made  a  matter  of  inquiry  by  the  church, 
aud  which  soon  resulted  in  open  warfare;  and  her  views  and  propo- 
sitions were  misrepresented  and  animadverted  upon,  from  the  pulpit,  and 
herself  made  the  subject  of  unjust  criticism.  In  the  Bible  Class  and 
in  the  Sabbath  School,  she  maintained  her  religious  tenets,  and  among 
her  kindred  and  friends,  defended  herself  from  the  obloquy  of  her 
husband. 

To  make  the  case  fully  understood,  I  will  here  remark,  that  Mr.  Pack- 
ard was  educated  in  the  Calvinistic  faith,  and  for  twenty-nine  years  hn3 
been  a  preacher  of  that  creed,  and  would  in  no  wise  depart  from  the 
religion  of  his  fathers.  He  is  cold,  selfish  and  illiberal  in  hia  views, 
possessed  of  but  little  talent,  and  a  physiognomy  innocent  of  expres- 
sion. He  has  large  self-will,  and  his  stubbornness  is  only  exceeded 
by  his  bigotry. 

Mrs.  Packard  is  a  lady  of  fine  mental  endowments,  and  blest  with 
a  liberal  education.  She  is  an  Original,  vigorous,  masculine  thinker, 
and  were  it  not  for  her  superior  judgment,  combined  with  native  mod* 
esty,  she  would  rank  as  a  "strong-minded  woman."  As  it  is,  her 
conduct  comports  strictly  with  the  sphere  usually  occupied  by  woman, 
She  dislikes  parade  or  show  of  any  kind.  Her  confidence  that  Right 
will  prevail,  leads  her  to  too  tamely  submit  to  wrongs.  She  was 
educated  in  the  same  religious  befref  with  her  husband,  and  during  the 
first  twenty  years  of  married  life,  his  labors  in  the  parish  and  in  the 
pulpit  were  greatly  relieved  by  the  willing  hand  and  able  intellect  of 
his  wife. 

Phrenologists  would  also  say  of  her,  that  her  self-will  was  large,  and 
lier  married  life  tended  in  no  wise  to  diminish  this  phrenological  bump. 
They  have  been  married  twenty-five  years,  and  have  six  children,  the 
issue  of  their  intermarriage,  the  youngest  of  whom  was  eighteen 
months  old  when  she  was  kidnapped  and  transferred  to  Jackson ville.  J 
The  older  children  have  maintained  a  firm  position  against  the  abuse 
and  persecutions  of  their  father  toward  their  mother,  but  were  of  too 
tender  age  to  render  her  any  material  assistance. 

Her  views  of  religion  are  more  in  accordance  with  the  liberal  views 
of  the  age  in  which  we  live.  She  scouts  the  Calvinistic  doctrine  of 
man's  cota*  depravity,  and  that  God  has  foreordained  some  to  be  saved 
and  others  to  be  damned.  She  stands  fully  on  the  platform  of  man  8 
free  agency  and  accountability  to  God  for  his  actions.  She  belie vea 


11  MARITAL    POWEB    EXEMPLIFIED. 

that  man,  and  nations,  are  progressive ;  and  that  in  his  own  good  time, 
and  in  accordance  with  His  great  purposes,  Right  will  prevail  over 
Wrong,  and  the  oppressed  will  be  freed  from  the  oppressor.  She 
believes  slavery  to  be  a  national  sin,  and  the  church  and  the  pulpit  a 
proper  place  to  combat  tliis  sin.  These,  in  brief,  are  the  points  in  her 
religious  creed  which  were  combatted  by  Mr.  Packard,  and  were  de- 
nominated by  him  as  "emanations  from  the  devil,"  or  "the  vagaries 
of  a  crazed  brain." 

For  maintaining  such  ideas  as  above  indicated,  Mr.  Packard  denounced 
her  from  the  pulpit,  denied  her  the  privilege  of  family  prayer  in  the 
home  circle,  expelled  her  from  the  Bible  Class,  and  refused  to  let  her 
be  heard  in  the  Sabbath  School.  He  excluded  her  from  her  friends, 
and  made  her  a  prisoner  in  her  own  house. 

Her  reasonings  and  her  logic  appeared  to  him  as  the  ravings  of  a  mad 
woman  —  her  religion  was  the  religion  of  the  devil.  To  justify  his 
conduct,  he  gave  out  that  she  was  insane,  and  found  a  few  willing  be- 
lievers, among  his  family  connections, 

This  case  was  commenced  by  filing  a  petition  in  the  words  following, 
to  wit: 

BTATB  OP  ILLINOIS,    I 

IASKAKBE  COUHTY.         J 

To  the  Honorable  CHABLES  R.  STABB,   Judge   of  the  2Qth  Judicial 

Circuit  in  the  State  of  Illinois, 

William  Haslet,  Daniel  Beedy,  Zalmon  Hanford,  and  Joseph 
Younglove,  of  said  county,  on  behalf  of  Elizabeth  P.  W.  Packard, 
wife  of  Theophilus  Packard,  of  said  county,  respectfully  represent  unto 
your  Honor,  that  said  Elizabeth  P.  W.  Packard  is  unlawfully  restrained 
of  her  liberty,  at  Manteno,  in  the  county  of  Kankakee,  by  her  hus- 
band, Rev.  Theophilus  Packard,  being  forcibly  confined  and  imprisoned 
in  a  close  room  of  the  dwelling-house  of  her  said  husband,  for  a  long 
time,  to  wit,  for  the  space  of  four  weeks,  her  said  husband  refusing  to 
let  her  visit  her  neighbors  and  refusing  her  neighbors  to  visit  her ;  that 
they  believe  her  said  husband  is  about  to  forcibly  convey  her  from  out 
the  State ;  that  they  believe  there  is  no  just  cause  or  ground  for 
restraining  said  wife  of  her  liberty ;  that  they  believe  that  said  wife  is 
a  mild  and  amiable  woman.  And  they  are  advised  and  believe,  that 
said  husband  cruelly  abuses  and  misuses  said  wife,  by  depriving  her  of 
her  winter's  clothing,  this  cold  and  inclement  weather,  and  that  there 
is  no  necessity  for  such  cruelty  on  the  part  of  said  husband  to  said 


TRIAL  OP  MRS.  PACKARD.  15 

wife ;  and  they  are  advised  and  believe,  that  said  wife  desires  to  come 
w>  Knnkakee  City,  to  make  application  to  your  Honor  for  a  writ  of 
habeas  corpus,  to  liberate  herself  from  said  confinement  or  imprison' 
ment,  and  that  said  husband  refused  and  refuses  to  allow  said  wife  to 
come  to  Kankakee  City  for  eaid  purpose ;  and  that  these  petitioners 
make  application  for  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus  in  her  behalf,  at  her 
request.  These  petitioners  therefore  pray  that  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus 
may  forthwith  issue,  commanding  said  Theophilus  Packard  to  pro- 
duce the  body  of  said  wife,  before  your  Honor,  according  to  law, 
and  that  said  wife  may  be  discharged  from  said  imprisonment. 

(Signed)  WILLIAM  HASLET. 

DANIEL  BEEDY. 

J.  W.  OBE,    »  f  ZALMON  HANFOBD. 

H.LOWNG,    \p*®aners''  -Aitorney.  J.  YOUNGLOVE. 

STEPHEN  R.  MOOBE,  Counsel 
STATE  OF  ILLINOIS,  I 

KANKAKEE   COUNTY.       } 

William  Haslet,  Daniel  Beedy,  Zalmon  Hanford,  and  Joseph 
Younglove,  whose  names  are  subscribed  to  the  above  petition,  being 
duly  sworn,  severally  depose  and  say,  that  the  matters  and  facts  set 
forth  in  the  above  petition  are  true  in  substance  and  fact,  to  the  best  of 
their  knowledge  and  belief. 

WILLIAM  HASLET, 
DANIEL  BEEDY 
ZALMON  HANFOKO. 
J.  YOUNGLOVE. 

Sworn  to  and  subscribed  before  me,  this  ) 
llth  day  of  January,  A.  D.  1864.          J 

MASON  B.  Looms,  J.  P. 

Upon  the  above  petition,  the  Honorable  C,  R.  Starr,  Judge  as  afore- 
said, issued  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus,  as  follows: 

STATE  OF  ILLINOIS,  I 

KANKAKEK   COUNTY.        f 

The  People  of  the  State  of  Illinois,   To  THEOPHILDS  PAOKABD 

WE  COMMAND  YOU,  That  the  body  of  Elizabeth  P.  W.  Packard, 
in  your  custody  detained  and  imprisoned,  as  it  is  said,  together  with 
the  day  and  cause  of  caption  and  detention,  by  whatsoever  name  the 
same  may  be  called,  you  safely  have  before  Charles  R.  Starr,  Judge 
01*  the  Twentieth  Judicial  Circuit,  State  of  Illinois,  at  his  chambers,  at 
K.Lnkakoe  City  in  the  said  county,  on  the  12th  instant,  at  one  o'clock, 


16  MARITAL    POWER    EXHMi'LIFllID. 

r.  M.,  and  to  do  and  receive  all  and  singular  those  things  which  the 
said  Judge  shall  then  and  there  consider  of  her  in  this  behalf,  aud  have 
you  then  and  there  this  writ. 

Wihness,  Charles  R.  Starr,  Judge  aforesaid,  this  llth  day  of  January, 
A.  D.  1864. 

CHARLES  R.  STARR,        [SEAL.] 
[Bmenue  Stamp.]         •        Judge  of  the  ZQlh  Judicial  Circuit  of  the  State  of  Miitah. 

Indorsed:  "By  the  Habeas  Corpus  Act" 

To  said  writ,  the  Rev.  Theophilus  Packard  made  the  following 
return : 

The  within  named  Theophilus  Packard  does  hereby  certify,  to  the 
within  named,  the  Honorable  Charles  R.  Starr,  Judge  of  the  20th 
Judicial  Circuit  of  the  State  of  Illinois,  that  the  within  named  Eliza- 
beth P.  W.  Packard  is  n^w  in  my  custody,  before  your  Honor.  That  the 
•aid  Elizabeth  is  the  wife  of  the  undersigned,  and  is  and  has  been  for 
more  than  three  years  past  insane,  and  for  about  three  years  of  that 
time  was  in  the  Insane  Asylum  of  the  State  of  Illinois,  under  treat- 
ment, as  an  insane  person.  That  she  was  discharged  from  said  Asylum, 
without  being  cured,  and  is  incurably  insane,  on  or  about  the  18th  day 
of  June,  A.  D.  1863,  and  that  since  the  23rd  day  of  October,  the 
undersigned  has  kept  the  said  Elizabeth  with  him  in  Manteno,  in  this 
county,  and  while  he  has  faithfully  and  anxiously  watched,  cared  for, 
and  guarded  the  said  Elizabeth,  yet  he  has  not  unlawfully  restrained 
her  of  her  liberty ;  and  has  not  confined  and  imprisoned  her  in  a  close 
room,  in  the  dwelling-house  of  the  undersigned,  or  in  any  other  place 
or  way,  but,  on  the  contrary,  the  undersigned  has  allowed  her  all  the 
liberty  compatible  with  her  welfare  and  safety.  That  the  undersigned 
is  about  to  remove  his  residence  from  Manteno,  in  this  State,  to  the 
town  of  Deerfield,  in  the  county  of  Franklin,  in  the  State  of  Massa- 
chusetts, and  designs  and  intends  to  take  his  said  wife  Elizabeth  with 
bim.  That  the  undersigned  has  never  misued  or  abused  the  said  Eliza- 
beth, by  depriving  her  of  her  winter's  clothing,  but,  on  the  contrary, 
the  undersigned  has  always  treated  the  said  Elizabeth  with  kindness 
and  affection,  and  has  provided  her  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  winter 
clothing  and  other  clothing ;  and  that  the  said  Elizabeth  has  never 
made  any  request  of  the  undersigned,  for  liberty  to  come  to  Kankakea 
City,  for  the  purpose  of  suing  out  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus.  The  under- 
signed  hereby  presents  a  letter  from  Andrew  McFarlnnd.  Superin- 
tendent of  the  Illinois  State  Hospital,  at  Jacksonville,  in  this  Suite, 


TRIAL   OF   MRS.  PACKARD.  17 

showing  her  discharge,  and  reasons  of  discharge,  from  said  institution, 
which  is  marked  "  A,"  and  is  made  a  part  of  this  return.  And  also 
presents  a  certificate  from  the  said  Andrew  McFarland,  under  the  seal 
of  said  hospital,  marked  "  C,"  refusing  to  re-admit  the  said  Elizabeth 
again  into  said  hospital,  on  the  ground  of  her  being  incurably  insane, 
which  is  also  hereby  made  a  part  of  this  return. 

THEOPHILUS  PACKARD. 
Dated  January  12,  1864. 

The  Court,  upon  its  own  motion,  ordered  an  issue  to  be  formed,  as  to 
the  sanity  or  insanity  of  Mrs.  E.  P.  W.  Packard,  and  ordered  a  venire 
of  twelve  men,  to  aid  the  court  in  the  investigation  of  said  issue.  And 
thereupon  a  venire  was  issued. 

The  counsel  for  the  respondent,  Thomas  P.  Bonfield,  Mason  B. 
Loomis,  and  Hon.  C.  A.  Lake,  moved  the  court  to  quash  the  venire, 
on  the  ground  that  the  court  had  no  right  to  call  a  jury  to  determine  the 
question,  on  an  application  to  be  discharged  on  .a  writ  of  habeas  corpus. 
The  court  overruled  the  motion  ;  and  thereupon  the  following  jury  was 
selected  : 

John  Stiles,  Daniel  G.  Bean,  V.  H.  Young,  F.  G.  Hutchinson, 
Thomas  Muncey,  H.  Hirshberg,  Nelson  Jarvais,  "William  Hyer,  Geo. 
H.  Andrews,  J.  F.  Mafet,  Lemuel  Milk,  G.  M.  Lyons. 

CHRISTOPHER  W.  KNOTT  was  the  first  witness  sworn  by  the 
respondent,  to  maintain  the  issue  on  his  part,  that  she  was  insane ;  who 
being  sworn,  deposed  and  said  : 

I  am  a  practicing  physician  in  Kankakee  City.  Have  been  in  prac- 
tice fifteen  years.  Have  seen  Mrs.  Packard ;  saw  her  three  or  four 
years  ago.  Am  not  much  acquainted  with  her.  Had  never  seen  her 
until  I  was  called  to  see  her  at  that  time.  I  was  called  to  visit  her  by 
Theophilus  Packard.  I  thought  her  partially  deranged  on  religious 
matters,  and  gave  a  certificate  to  that  effect.  I  certified  that  she  was 
insane  upon  the  subject  of  religion.  I  have  never  seen  her  since. 

Cross-examination. — This  visit  I  made  her  was  three  or  four  years  ago. 
I  was  there  twice  —  one-half  hour  each  time.  I  visited  her  on  request 
of  Mr.  Packard,  to  determine  if  she  was  insane.  I  learned  from  him 
that  he  designed  to  convey  her  to  the  State  Asylum.  Do  not  know 
whether  she  was  aware  of  my  object,  or  not.  Her  mind  appeared  to 
be  excited  on  the  subject  of  religion ;  on  all  other  subjects  she  was 
perfectly  rational.  It  was  probably  caused  by  overtaxing  the  mental 
faculties.  She  was  what  might  be  called  a  monomaniac.  Monomania 
2 


18  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

IB  insanity  on  one  subject.  Three-fourths  of  the  religious  community 
are  insane  in  the  same  manner,  in  my  opinion.  Her  insanity  was 
such  that  with  a  little  rest  she  would  readily  have  recovered  from  it. 
The  female  mind  is  more  excitable  than  the  male.  I  saw  her  per- 
haps one-half  hour  each  time  I  visited  her.  I  formed  my  judgment 
as  to  her  insanity  wholly  from  conversing  with  her.  I  could  see 
nothing  except  an  unusual  zealousness  and  warmth  upon  religious 
topics.  Nothing  was  said,  in  my  conversation  with  her,  about  disagree- 
'  ing  with  Mr.  Packard  on  religious  topics.  Mr.  Packard  introduced  the 
subject  of  religion  the  first  time  I  was  there  :  the  second  time,  I  intro- 
duced the  subject.  Mr.  Packard  and  Mr.  Comstock  were  present. 
The  subject  was  pressed  on  her  for  the  purpose  of  drawing  her  out. 
Mrs.  Packard  would  manifest  more  zeal  than  most  of  people  upon  any 
subject  that  interested  her.  I  take  her  to  be  a  lady  of  fine  mental 
abilities,  possessing  more  ability  than  ordinarily  found.  She  is  pos- 
sessed of  a  nervous  temperament,  easily  excited,  and  has  a  strong  will. 
I  would  say  that  she  was  insane,  the  same  as  I  would  say  Henry 
"Ward  Beecher,  Spurgeon,  Horace  Greely,  and  like  persons,  are  insane. 
Probably  three  weeks  intervened  between  the  visits  I  made  Mrs. 
Packard.  This  was  in  June,  1860. 

Re-examined. — She  is  a  woman  of  large,  active  brain,  and  nervous 
temperament.  I  take  her  to  be  a  woman  of  good  intellect.  There  is 
no  subject  which  excites  people  so  much  as  religion.  Insanity  pro- 
duces, oftentimes,  ill-feelings  towards  the  best  friends,  and  particularly 
the  family,  or  those  more  nearly  related  to  the  insane  person — but  not 
so  with  monomania.  She  told  me,  in  the  conversation,  that  the  Calvin- 
istic  doctrines  were  wrong,  and  that  she  had  been  compelled  to  with- 
draw from  the  church.  She  said  that  Mr.  Packard  was  more  insane 
than  she  was,  and  that  people  would  find  it  out.  I  had  no  doubt  that 
she  was  insane.  I  only  considered  her  insane  on  that  subject,  and  she 
was  not  bad  at  that.  I  could  not  judge  whether  it  was  hereditary. 
I  thought  if  she  was  withdrawn  from  conversation  and  excitement,  she 
could  have  got  well  in  a  short  time.  Confinement  in  any  shape,  or 
restraint,  would  have  made  her  worse.  I  did  not  think  it  was  a  bad 
case ;  it  only  required  rest. 

J.  W.  BBOWN,  being  sworn,  said : 

I  am  a  physician ;  live  in  this  city ;  have  no  extensive  acquaintance 
with  Mrs.  Packard.  Saw  her  three  or  four  weeks  ago.  '  I  examined  her 
as  to  her  sanity  or  insanity.  I  was  requested  to  make  a  visit,  and  had 
an  extended  conference  with  her :  I  spent  some  three  hours  with  her. 


TRIAL   OF  MRS.  PACKARD.  19 

I  had  no  difficulty  in  arriving  at  the  conclusion,  in  my  mind,  that  she 
WHS  insane. 

Cross-examination. — I  visited  her  by  request  of  Mr.  Packard,  at  her 
house.  The  children  were  in  and  out  of  the  room ;  no  one  else  was 
present.  I  concealed  my  object  in  visiting  her.  She  asked  me  if  I 
was  a  physician,  and  I  told  her  no ;  that  I  was  an  agent,  selling  sewing 
machines,  and  had  come  there  to  sell  her  one. 

The  first  subject  we  conversed  about  was  sewing  machines.  She 
showed  no  signs  of  insanity  on  that  subject. 

The  next  subject  discussed,  was  the  •  social  condition  of  the  female 
sex.  She  exhibited  no  special  marks  of  insanity  on  that  subject, 
although  she  had  many  ideas  quite  at  variance  with  mine,  on  the 
subject. 

The  subject  of  politics  was  introduced.  She  spoke  of  the  condition 
of  the  North  and  the  South.  She  illustrated  her  difficulties  with  Mr. 
Packard,  by  the  difficulties  between  the  North  and  the  South.  She 
said  the  South  was  wrong,  and  was  waging  war  for  two  wicked 
purposes :  first,  to  overthrow  a  good  government,  and  second,  to 
establish  a  despotism  on  the  inhuman  principle  of  human  slavery.  But 
that  the  North,  having  right  on  their  side,  would  prevail.  So  Mr. 
Packard  was  opposing  her,  to  overthrow  free  thought  in  woman ;  that 
the  despotism  of  man  may  prevail  over  the  wife ;  but  that  she  had 
right  and  truth  on  her  side,  and  that  she  would  prevail. 

During  this  conversation  I  did  not  fully  conclude  that  she  was  insane. 

I  brought  up  the  subject  of  religion.  We  discussed  that  subject  for 
a  long  time,  and  then  I  had  not  the  slightest  difficulty  in  concluding 
that  she  was  hopelessly  insane. 

Question.  Dr.,  what  particular  idea  did  she  advance  on  the  subject 
of  religion  that  led  you  to  the  conclusion  that  she  was  hopelessly  insane? 

Answer.  She  advanced  many  of  them.  I  formed  my  opinion  not 
so  much  on  any  one  idea  advanced,  as  upon  her  whole  conversation. 
She  then  said  that  she  was  the  "  Personification  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 
I  did  not  know  what  she  meant  by  that. 

Ques.  "Was  not  this  the  idea  conveyed  to  you  in  that  conversation :  — 
That  there  are  three  attributes  of  the  Deity — the  Father,  the  Son,  and 
the  Holy  Ghost  ?  Now,  did  she  not  say,  that  the  attributes  of  the 
Father  were  represented  in  mankind,  in  man ;  that  the  attributes  oi 
the  Holy  Ghost  were*  represented  in  woman ;  and  that  the  Son  waa 
the  fruit  of  these  two  attributes  of  the  Deity  ? 

Ans.  Well,  I  am  not  sure  but  that  was  the  idea  conveyed, 
though  I  did  not  fully  get  her  idea  at  the  time. 


20  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

tyues.     Was  not  that  a  new  idea  to  you  in  theology  r 

Ans.     It  was. 

Ques.     Are  you  much  of  a  theologian? 

Ans.     No. 

Ques.  Then  because  the  idea  was  a  novel  one  to  you,  you  pro 
nounced  her  insane. 

Ans.  Well,  I  pronounced  her  insane  on  that  and  other  things  thai 
exhibited  themselves  in  this  conversation. 

Ques.  Did  she  not  show  more  familiarity  with  the  subject  of 
religion  and  the  questions  of  theology,  than  you  had  with  these  subjects? 

Ans.     I  do  not  pretend  much  knowledge  on  these  subjects. 

Ques.  What  else  did  she  say  or  do  there,  that  showed  marks  of 
insanity  ? 

Ans.  She  claimed  to  be  better  than  her  husband  —  that  she  was 
right — and  that  he  was  wrong — and  that  all  she  did  was  good, 
and  all  he  did  was  bad;  that  she  was  farther  advanced  than  other 
people,  and  more  nearly  perfection.  She  found  fault  .particularly  that 
Mr.  Packard  would  not  discuss  their  points  of  difference  on  religion  in 
an  open,  manly  way,  instead  of  going  around  and  denouncing  her  aa 
crazy  to  her  friends  and  to  the  church. 

She  had  a  great  aversion  to  being  called  insane.  JJefore  I  g°t  through 
the  conversation  she  exhibited  a  great  dislike  to  me,  and  almost  treated 
me  in  a  contemptuous  manner.  She  appeared  quite  lady-like.  She  had 
a  great  reverence  for  God,  and  a  regard  for  religious  and  pious  people. 

Re-examined.  —  Ques.  Dr.,  you  may  now  state  all  the  reasons  you 
have  for  pronouncing  her  insane. 

Ans.  I  have  written  down,  in  order,  the  reasons  which  I  had,  to 
found  my  opinion  on,  that  she  was  insane.  I  will  read  them. 

1.  That  she  claimed  to  be  in  advance  of  the  age  thirty  or  forty 
years. 

2.  That  she  disliked  to  be  called  insane. 

3.  That  she  pronounced  me  a  copperhead,  and  did  not  prove  the 
fact. 

4.  .  An  incoherency  of  thought.     That  she  failed  to  illuminate  ra« 
and  fill  me  with  light. 

5.  Her  aversion  to  the  doctrine  of  the  total  depravity  of  man. 

6.  Her  claim  to  perfection  or  nearer  perfection  in  action  and  conduct 

7.  Her  aversion  to  being  called  insane. 

8.  Her  feelings  towards  her  husband. 

9.  Her  belief  that  to  call  her  insane  and  abuse  her,  was  blasphemy 
against  the  Holy  Ghost. 


TRIAL   OTT   MRS.  PACKARD.  21 

10.  Her  explanation  of  this  idea. 

11.  Incoherency  of  thought  and  ideas. 

12.  Her  extreme  aversion  to  the  doctrine  of  the  total  depravity  of 
mankind,  and  in  the  same  conversation,  saying  her  husband  was  a 
specimen  of  man's  total  depravity. 

13.  The  general  history  of  the  case. 

14.  Her  belief  that  some  calamity  would  befall  her,  owing  to  my 
being  there,  and  her  refusal  to  shake  hands  with  me  when  I  went 
away. 

15.  Her  viewing  the  subject  of  religion  from  the  osteric  stand- 
point of  Christian  exegetical  analysis,   and  agglutinating  the  polsyn- 
thetical  ectoblasts  of  homogeneous  asceticism. 

The  witness  left  the  stand  amid  roars  of  laughter ;  and  it  required 
some  moments  to  restore  order  in  the  court-room. 

JOSEPH  H.  WAY,  sworn,  and  said : 

I  am  a  practicing  physician  in  Kankakee  City,  Illinois.  I  made 
a  medical  examination  of  Mrs.  Packard  a  few  weeks  since,  at 
her  house;  was  there  perhaps  two  hours.  On  most  subjects  she 
was  quite  sane.  On  the  subject  of  religion  I  thought  she  had  some 
ideas  that  are  not  generally  entertained.  At  that  time  I  thought 
her  to  be  somewhat  deranged  or  excited  on  that  subject;  since 
that  time  I  have  thought  perhaps  I  was  not  a  proper  judge,  for 
I  am  not  much  posted  on  disputed  points  in  theology,  and  I  find 
that  other  people  entertain  similar  ideas.  They  are  not  in  accord- 
ance with  my  views,  but  that  is  no  evidence  that  she  is  insane. 

Cross-examined. — I  made  this  visit  at  her  house,  or  his  house,  per- 
haps, at  Manteno.  I  conversed  on  various  subjects.  She  was  per- 
fectly sane  on  every  subject  except  religion,  and  I  would  not  swear 
now  that  she  was  insane.  She  seemed  to  have  been  laboring  under 
an  undue  excitement  on  that  subject.  She  has  a  nervous  temperament, 
and  is  easily  excited.  She  said  she  liked  her  children,  and  that  it  was 
hard  to  be  torn  from  them.  That  none  but  a  mother  could  feel  the  ' 
anguish  she  had  suffered  ;  that  while  she  was  confined  in  the  Asylum, 
the  children  had  been  educated  by  their  father  to  call  her  insane.  She 
^said  she  would  have  them  punished  if  they  called  their  own  mother 
insane,  for  it  was  not  right. 

ABIJAH  DOLE,  sworn,  and  says : 

I  know  Mrs.  Packard  ;  have  known  her  twenty-five  or  thirty  years. 
I  am  her  brother-in-law.  Lived  in  Manteno  seven  years.  Mrs. 


: ,  : 

22  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

Packard  has  lived  there  six  years.  I  have  been  sent  for  several 
times  by  her  and  Mr.  Packard,  and  found  her  in  an  exoited  state 
of  mind.  I  was  there  frequently  ;  we  were  very  familiar.  One 
morning  early,  I  was  sent  for :  she  was  in  the  west  room ;  she  was 
in  her  night  clothes.  She  took  me  by  the  hand  and  led  mo  to  the 
bed.  Libby  was  lying  in  bed,  moaning  and  moving  her  head.  Mrs. 
Packard  now  spoke  and  said,  "How  pure  we  are."  "I  am  one  of 
the  children  of  heaven;  Libby  is  one  of  the  branches."-*," The  wo- 
man shall,  bruise  the  serpent's  head."  She  called  Mr.  Packard  & 
devil.  She  said,  Brother  Dole,  these  are  serious  matters.  If  Brother 
Haslet  will  help  me,  we  will  crush  the  body.  She  said,  Christ  had 
come  into  the  world  to  save  men,  and  that  she  had  come  to  save 
woman.  Her  hair  was  disheveled.  Her  face  looked  wild.  This 
was  over  three  years  ago. 

I  was  there  again  one  morning  after  this.  She  came  to  me.  She 
pitied  me  for  marrying  my  wife,  who  is  a  sister  to  Mr.  Packard  ;  said  I 
might  find  an  agreeable  companion.  She  said  if  she  had  cultivated  ama- 
tiveness,  she  would  have  made  a  more  agreeable  companion.  She  took 
me  to  another  room  and  talked  about  going  away ;  this  was  in  June  before 
taey  took  her  to  the  State  Hospital.  She  sent  for  me  again ;  she  was 
in  the  east  room ;  she  was  very  cordial.  She  wanted  me  to  intercede 
for  Theophilus,  who  was  at  Marshall,  Michigan ;  she  wanted  him  to 
stay  there,  and  it  was  thought  not  advisable  for  him  to  stay.  "We 
wished  him  to  come  away,  but  did  not  tell  her  the  reasons.  He  was 
with  a  Swedenborgian. 

After  this  I  was  called  there  once  in  the  night.  She  said  she  could 
not  live  with  Mr.  Packard,  and  she  thought  she  had  better  go  away. 
One  time  she  was  in  the  Bible  class.  The  question  came  up  in  regard 
to  Moses  smiting  the  Egyptian ;.  she  thpught  Moses  had  acted  too 
hasty,  but  that  all  things  worked  for  the  glory  of  God.  I  requested 
her  to  keep  quiet,  and  she  agreed  to  do  it. 

I  have  had  no  conversation  with  Mrs.  Packard  since  her  return  from 
the  Hospital ;  she  will  not  talk  with  me  because  she  thinks  I  think  she 
is  insane.  Her  brother  came  to  see  her ;  he  said  he  had  not  seen  her 
for  four  or  five  years.  I  tried  to  have  Mrs.  Packard  talk  with  him,  and 
she  would  not  have  anything  to  do  with  him  because  he  said  she  was  a 
crazy  woman.  She  generally  was  in  the  kitchen  when  I  was  there, 
overseeing  her  household  affairs. 

I  was  superintendent  of  the  Sabbath  School.  One  Sabbath,  just  at 
the  close  of  the  school,  I  was  behind  the  desk,  and  almost  like  a  vision 
she  appeared  before  me,  and  requested  to  deliver  or  read  an  address  to 


TRIAL   (.F   MRS.  PACKARD.  23 

the  school.  I  was  much  surprised  ;  I  felt  so  bad,  I  did  not  know  what 
to  do.  (At  this  juncture  the  witness  became  very  much  affected, 
and  choked  up  so  that  he  could  not  proceed,  and  cried  so  loud  that 
he  could  be  heard  in  any  part  of  the  court-room.  When  he  became 
calm,  he  went  on  and  said),  I  was  willing  to  gratify  her  all  I  could, 
for  I  knew  she  was  crazy,  but  I  did  not  want  to  take  the  responsibility 
myself,  so  I  put  it  to  a  vote  of  the  school,  if  she  should  be  allowed 
to  read  it*i  She  was  allowed  to  read  it.  It  occupied  ten  or  fifteen 
minutes  in  reading. 

I  cannot  state  any  of  the  particulars  of  that  paper.  It  bore  evidence 
of  her  insanity.  She  went  on  and  condemned  the  church,  all  in  all, 
and  the  individuals  composing  the  church,  because  they  did  not  agree 
with  her.  She  looked  very  wild  and  very  much  excited.  She  seemed 
to  be  insane.  She  came  to  church  one  morning  just  as  services  com- 
menced, and  wished  to  have  the  church  act  upon  her  letter  withdrawing 
from  the  church  immediately.  Mr.  Packard  was  in  the  pulpit.  She 
wanted  to  know  if  Brother  Dole  and  Brother  Merrick  were  in  the 
church,  and  wanted  them  to  have  it  acted  upon.  This  was  three  years 
ago,  just  before  she  was  taken  away  to  the  hospital. 

Cross-examined.  — I  supposed  when  I  first  went  into  the  room  that 
her  influence  over  the  child  had  caused  the  child  to  become  deranged. 
The  child  was  nine  years  old.  I  believed  that  she  had  exerted  some 
1  mesmeric  or  other  influence  over  the  child,  that  caused  it  to  moan  and'toss 
its  head.  The  child  had  been  sick  with  brain  fever  ;  I  learned  that  after 
I  got  there.  I  suppose  the  mother  had  considerable  anxiety  over  the 
child;  I  suppose  she  had  been  watching  over  the  child  all  night, 
and  that  would  tend  to  excite  her.  The  child  got  well.  It  was  sick 
several  days  after  this ;  it  was  lying  on  the  bed  moaning  and  tossing 
its  head;  the  mother  did  not  appear  to  be  alarmed.  Mr.  Packard 
was  not  with  her ;  she  was  all  alone ;  she  did  not  say  that  Mr.  Packard 
did  not  show  proper  care  for  the  sick  child.  I  suppose  she  thought 
Libby  would  die. 

Her  ideas  on  religion  did  not  agree  with  mine,  nor  with  my  view  of 
the  Bible. 

I  knew  Mr.  Packard  thought  her  insane,  and  did  not  want  her  to 
discuss  these  questions  in  the  Sabbath  School.  I  knew  he  had  opposed 
ner  more  or  less.  This  letter  to  the  church  was  for  the  purpose  of 
asking  for  a  letter  from  the  church. 

Question.  "Was  it  an  indication  of  insanity  that  she  wanted  to  leave 
the  Presbyterian  Church  ? 


24  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

Answer.  I  think  it  strange  that  she  should  ask  for  letters  from 
the  church.  She  would  not  leave  the  church  unless  she  was 
insane. 

lam  a  member  of  the  church — I  believe  the  church  is  right.  1 
believe  everything  the  church  does  is  right.  I  believe  everything  in 
the  Bible. . 

Ques.  Do  you  believe  literally  that  Jonah  was  swallowed  by  a 
whale,  and  remained  in  its  "belly  three  days,  and  was  then  cast  up  ? 

Ans.     I  do. 

Ques.  Do  you  believe  literally  that  Elijah  went  direct  up  to  Heaven 
in  a  chariot  of  fire — that  the  chariot  had  wheels,  and  seats,  and  was 
drawn  by  horses  ? 

Ans.     I  do — for  with  God  all  things  are  possible. 

Ques.     Do  you  believe  Mrs.  Packard  was  insane,  and  is  insane  ? 

Ans.     I  do. 

I  never  read  any  of  Swedenborg's  works.  I  do  not  deem  it  proper 
for  persons  to  investigate  new  doctrines  or  systems  of  theology. 

Re-examined. — I  became  a  Presbyterian  eight  years  ago.  I  waa 
formerly  a  Congregatioualist ;  Mr.  Packard  was  a  Congregationalist. 

Re-cross-examination.  —  Ques.  Was  it  dangerous  for  you  to  examine 
the  doctrines  or  theology  embraced  in  the  Presbyterian  Church,  when 
you  left  the  Congregational  Church,  and  joined  it? 

Ans.     I  will  not  answer  so  foolish  a  question. 

"Witness  discharged. 

JOSEPHUS  B.  SMITH,  sworn,  says : 

Am  aged  fifty  years ;  have  known  Mrs.  Paakard  seven  years.  I  cannot 
tell  the  first  appearance  of  any  abnormal  condition  of  her  mind.  I 
first  saw  it  at  the  Sabbath  School.  She  came  in  and  wished  to  read  a 
communication.  I  do  not  recollect  everything  of  the  communication. 
She  did  not  read  the  letter,  but  presented  it  to  Brother  Dole.  She  said 
something  about  her  small  children,  and  left.  She  seemed  to  be  excited. 
There  was  nothing  very  unusual  in  her  appearance.  Her  voice  was 
rather  excited;  it  could  be  heard  nearly  over  the  house.  I  merely 
recall  the  circumstance,  but  recollect  scarce  anything  else.  It  was  an 
unusual  thing  for  any  person  to  come  in  and  read  an  address.  I  do  not 
recollect  anything  unusual  in  her  manner. 

(At  this  stage  of  the  trial,  an  incident  occurred  that  for  a  time 
rtopped  all  proceedings,  and  produced  quite  an  excitement  in  the 
jom t-room ;  and  this  report  would  not  be  faithful  if  it  were  passed 
ovei  unnoticed.  Mrs.  Dole,  the  sister  of  Mr.  Packard,  came  in,  leading 


TRIAL   OF  MRS.  PACKARD.  25 

the  little  daughter  ol  Mrs.  Packard,  and  in  passing  by  the  table 
occupied  by  Mrs.  Packard  and  her  counsel,  the  child  stopped,  went 
up  to  her  mother,  kissed  and  hugged  her,  and  was  clinging  to  her  with 
all  child-like  fervor,  when  it  was  observed  by  Mrs.  Dole,  who 
snatched  the  child  up  —  and  bid  it  "come  away  from  that  woman  ;  " 
adding,  "  She  is  not  fit  to  take  care  of  you — I  have  you  in  my  -charge ; " 
and  thereupon  led  her  away.  The  court-room  was  crowded  to  ita 
utmost,  and  not  a  mother's  heart  there  but  what  was  touched,  and 
scarce  a  dry  eye  was  seen.  Quite  a  stir  was  made,  but  the  sheriff  soon 
restored  order.) 

Cross-examined. — I  had  charge  of  the  Sunday  School;  am  a  member 
of  Mr.  Packard's  church.  I  knew  Mr.  Packard  had  considered  her 
insane ;  knew  they  had  had  difficulties.  I  was  elected  superintendent 
of  the  school  in  place  of  Brother  Dole,  for  the  special  purpose  of 
keeping  Mrs.  Packard  straight. 

SYBIL  DOLE,  sworn,  and  says — 

I  am  Mr.  Packard's  sister;  have  known  her  t<venty-five  years.  Her 
natural  disposition  is  very  kind  and  sweet.  Her  education  is  very 
good ;  her  morals  without  a  stain  or  blemish.  I  first  observed  a  change 
in  her  after  we  came  to  Manteno.  I  had  a  conversation  with  her, 
when  she  talked  an  hour  without  interruption ;  she  talked  in  a  wild, 
excited  manner;  the  subject  was  partly  religion.  She  spoke  of  her 
own  attainments  ;  she  said  she  had  advanced  in  spiritual  affairs.  This 
was  two  or  three  years  before  she  went  to  the  Asylum. 

The  next  time  was  when  she  was  preparing  to  go  to  York  State. 
She  was  weeping  and  sick.  Her  trunk  was  packed  and  ready  to  go, 
but  Mr.  Packard  was  sick.  From  her  voice,  and  the  manner  she 
talked,  I  formed  an  opinion  of  her  insanity.  She  talked  on  various 
points ;  the  conversation  distressed  me  very  much ;  I  could  not  sleep. 
She  was  going  alone  ;  we  tried  to  persuade  her  not  to  go  alone.  She 
accused  Mr.  Packard  very  strangely  of  depriving  her  of  her  rights  of 
conscience — that  he  would  not  allow  her  to  think  for  herself  on 
religious  questions,  because  they  disagreed  on  these  topics.  She  made 
her  visit  to  New  York.  The  first  time  I  met  her  after  her  return,  her 
health  was  much  improved ;  she  appeared  much  better.  In  the  course 
of  a  few  weeks,  she  visited  at  my  house. 

At  another  time,  one  of  the  children  came  up,  and  wanted  me  to 
go  down ;  I  did  so.  She  was  very  much  excited  about  her  son  remain- 
ing at  Marshall.  She  was  wild.  She  thought  it  was  very  wrong  and 
tyrannical  for  Mr.  Packard  not  to  permit  her  son  to  remain  there.  She 


26  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

/ 

eaid  very  many  things  which  seemed  unnatural.  Her  voice,  manner 
and  ways,  all  showed  she  was  insane. 

I  was  there  when  Mr.  Baker  came  there,  to  see  about  Theophilus 
remaining  at  Marshall  with  him.  She  was  calmer  than  she  was  the 
day  before.  She  said  that  she  should  spend  the  day  in  fasting  and 
prayer.  She  said  he  had  came  in  unexpectedly,  and  they  were  not 
prepared  to  entertain  strangers.  She  was  out  of  bread,  and  had  to 
make  biscuit  for  dinner.  (One  gentleman  in  the  crowd  turned  to  hia 
wife  and  said,  "  "Wife,  were  you  ever  out  of  bread,  and  had  to  make 
biscuit  for  dinner  ?  I  must  put  you  into  an  Insane  Asylum  1  No 
mistake !  ")  I  occupied  the  same  room  and  bed  with  her.  She  went 
to  Mr.  Packard's  room,  and  when  she  returned,  she  said,  that*  if  her 
son  was  not  permitted  to  remain  at  Marshall,  it  would  result  in  a  divorce. 
She  got  up  several  times  during  the  night.  She  told  me  how  much 
she  enjoyed  the  family  circle.  She  spoke  very  highly  of  Mr.  Packard's 
t  kindness  to  her.  She  spoke  particularly  of  the  tenderness  which  had 
/  once  existed  between  them.  I  did  not  notice  anything  very  remarkable 
in  her  conduct  toward  Mr.  Packard,  until  just  before  she  was  sent  to 
the  Hospital. 

One  morning  afterward,  I  went  to  her  house  with  a  lady;  we  wanted 
to  go  in,  and  were  admitted.  She  seemed  much  excited.  She  said, 
"  You  regard  me  insane.  I  will  thank  you  to  leave  my  room."  This 
was  two  or  three  months  before  she  was  sent  to  Jacksonville.  Mr. 
Packard  went  out.  She  put  her  hand  on  my  shoulder,  and  said  she 
•would  thank  me  to  go  out  too.  I  went  out. 

I  afterward  wanted  to  take  the  baby  home.  One  morning  I  went 
down  to  see  her,  and  prepared  breakfast  for  her.  She  appeared  thank- 
ful, and  complimented  me  on  my  kindness.  She  consented  for  m'e  to 
take  the  child ;  I  did  so.  In  a  short  time,  about  ten  days  after,  the 
other  children  came  up,  and  said,  that  she  wanted  to  take  her  own 
child.  I  took  the  child  down.  .  Her  appearance  was  very  wild.  She 
was  filled  with  spite  toward  Mr.  Packard.  She  defied  me  to  take  the 
child  again,  and  said  that  she  would  evoke  the  strong  arm  of  the  law 
to  help  her  keep  it. 

At  another  time,  at  the  table,  she  was  talking  about  religion,  when 
Mr.  Packard  remonstrated  with  her ;  she  became  angry,  and  told  him 
she  would  talk  what  and  when  she  had  a  mind  to.  She  rose  up  from 
the  table,  and  took  her  tea-cup,  and  left  the  room  in  great  violence. 

Cross-examined. — I  am  a  member  of  Mr.  Packard's  church,  and  am 
his  sister.  He  and  I  have  often  consulted  together  about  Mrs.  Packard. 
Mr  Packard  was  the  first  to  ever  suggest  that  she  was  insane ;  after 


TKIAL   OF  MRS.'  PACKARD.  27 

that,  I  would  more  carefully  watch  her  actions  to  find  out  if  she  was 
insane.  The  religious  doctrines  she  advanced  were  at  variance  with 
those  entertained  by  our  church.  She  was  a  good,  neat,  thrifty  ai:d 
careful  housekeeper.  She  was  economical;  kept  the  children  clean 
and  neatly  dressed.  She  was  sane  on  all  subjects  except  religion.  I 
do  not  think  she  would  have  entertained  these  ideas,  if  she  had  not 
been  insane.  I  do  not  think  she  would  have  wanted  to  have  with- 
diawn  from  our  church,  and  unite  with  another  church,  if  she  had  not 
been  insane.  She  said  she  would  worship  with  the  Methodists.  They 
were  the  only  other  Protestant  denomination  that  held  service  at  Manteno 
at  the  time.  I  knew  when  she  was  taken  to  Jacksonville  Hospital- 
She  was  taken  away  in  the  morning.  She  did  not  want  to  go;  we 
thought  it  advisable  for  her  to  go. 

SARAH  RUMSEY,  sworn,  and  says : 

Have  li ved  one  week  in  Mrs.  Packard's  house.  I  was  present  at  the 
interview  when  Mrs.  Packard  ordered  us  to  leave  the  room.  Mrs. 
Packard  was  very  pale  and  angry.  She  was  in  an  undress,  and  her 
hair  was  down  over  her  face.  It  was  1 1  o'clock  in  the  forenoon  —  I 
staid  at  the  house  ;  Mrs.  Packard  came  out  to  the  kitchen.  She  was 
dressed  then.  She  said  she  had  come  to  reveal  to  me  what  Mr.  Pack- 
ard was.  She  talked  very  rapidly ;  she  would  not  talk  calm.  She 
said  Mr.  Packard  was  an  arch  deceiver ;  that  he  and  the  members  of 
his  church  had  made  a  conspiracy  to  put  her  into  the  Insane  Asylum ; 
she  wanted  me  to  leave  the  conspirators.  Soon  after  dinner  she  said, 
"  Come  with  me,  I  have  something  to  tell  you."  She  said  she  had  a 
new  revelation ;  it  would  soon  be  here ;  and  that  she  had  been  chosen 
by  God  for  a  particular  mission.  She  said  that  .all  who  decided  with 
her,  and  remained  true  to  her,  would  be  rewarded  by  the  millennium, 
and  if  I  would  side  with  her,  that  I  would  be  a  chief  apostle  in  the 
millennium.  She  wanted  to  go  to  Batavia,  but  that  Mr.  Packard 
would  give  her  no  money  to  take  her  there  ;  that  Mr.  Packard  called  her 
insane.  She  started  to  go  out,  and  Mr.  Packard  made  her  return; 
took  her  into  Mr.  Comstock's,  and  Mr.  Comstock  made  her  go  home. 

I  saw  her  again  when  Libby  had  the  brain  fever.  She  was  disturbed 
because  the  family  called  her  insane.  She  and  Libby  were  crying 
together;  they  cried  together  a  long  time.  This  was  Tuesday.  She 
would  not  let  me  into  the  room.  The  next  morning  while  at  breakfast 
Mr.  Labrie  passed  the  window  and  came  in.  He  said  that  Georgie  had 
been  over  for  him,  and  said  that  they  were  killing  his  mother.  She 
acted  very  strangely  all  the  time ;  was  wild  and  excited. 


28  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

Cross-examined.  —  Knew  Mr.  Packard  two  years  before  I  went '.here 
to  live.  He  was  the  pastor  of  our  church.  I  am  a  member  of  the 
church.  I  did  not  attend  the  Bible  class.  Brother  Dole  came  to  me  and 
said  somebody  of  the  church  should  go  there,  and  stay  at  the  house, 
and  assist  in  packing  her  clothes  and  getting  her  ready  to  take  off  to 
the  Hospital,  and  stay  and  take  care  of  the  children.  I  consented  to 
go;  I  heard  that  Brother  Packard  requested  Brother  Dole  to  come 
for  me.  I  never  worked  out  before.  They  had  a  French  servant, 
before  I  went  there ;  Mr.  Packard  turned  her  off  when  I  came,  the 
same  day.  I  did  not  want  to  take  Mrs.  Packard  away.  I  did  not 
think  she  exhibited  any  very  unusual  excitement,  when  the  men  came 
here  to  take  her  away.  Doctors  Merrick  and  Newkirk  were  the 
physicians  who  came  there  with  Sheriff  Burgess.  She  did  not  manifest 
as  much  excitement,  when  being  taken  away,  as  I  would  have  done, 
under  the  same  circumstances ;  any  person  would  have  naturally  been 
opposed  to  being  carried  away. 

The  church  had  opposed  her,  in  disseminating  her  ideas  in  the  church ; 
I  was  opposed  tc*her  promulgating  her  religious  ideas  in  the  church ;  I 
thought  them  wrong,  and  injurious.  .  I  was  present  at  the  Sabbath 
School  when  she  read  the  paper  to  the  school;  I  thought  that  bore 
evidence  of  insanity.  It  was  a  refutation  of  what  Mrs.  Dixon  had 
written ;  I  cannot  give  the  contents  of  the  paper  now. 

I  was  present  when  she  read  a  confession  of  her  conduct  to  the 
church ;  she  had  had  her  views  changed  partially,  from  a  sermon 
preached  upon  the  subject  of  the  sovereignty  and  immutability  of  God. 
I  did  not  think  it  strange  conduct  that  she  changed  her  views ;  and  never 
said  so.  This  was  in  the  spring  before  the  June  when  they  took  her  away. 

The  article  she  read  in  the  school  was  by  the  permission  of  the 
school. 

I  was  present  when  she  presented  a  protest  against  the  church  for 
refusing  to  let  her  be  heard ;  I  have  only  an  indistinct  recollection  of  it ; 
it  was  a  protest  because  they  refused  to  listen  to  her. 

Mr.  Dole  was  the  only  person  who  came  to  the  house  when  she  was 
taken  away,  except  the  men  with  Burgess. 

She  said  that  Mr.  Packard  had  deprived  her  of  the  liberty  of  con- 
science in  charging  her  to  be  insane,  when  she  only  entertained  ideas 
new  to  him. 

I  thought  it  was  an  evidence  of  insanity,  because  she  maintained 
these  ideas.     I  do  not  know  that  many  people  entertain  similar  ideas 
I  suppose  a  good  many  do  not  think  the  Calvinistic  doctrine  is  right , 
they  are  not  necessarily  insane  because  they  think  so. 


TKIAL   OF  MRS.  PACKARD.  21? 

When  she  found  I  was  going  to  stay  in  the  house,  and  that  the 
French  servant  had  been  discharged,  she  ordered  me  into  the  kitchen; 
before  that,  she  had  treated  me  kindly  as  a  visitor. 

I  thought  it  was  an  evidence  of  insanity  for  her  to  order  me  into 
the  kitchen ;  she  ought  to  have  known  that  I  was  not  an  ordinary  ser- 
vant. The  proper  place  for  the  servant  is  in  the  kitchen  at  work,  and 
not  in  the  parlor ;  I  took  the  place  of  the  servant  girl  for  a  short  time. 

She  wanted  the  flower  beds  in  the  front  yard  cleaned  out,  and  tried 
to  get  Mr.  Packard  to  do  it ;  he  would  not  do  it.  She  went  and  put 
on  an  old  dress  and  went  to  work,  and  cleaned  the  weeds  out,  and 
worked  herself  into  a  great  heat.  It  was  a  warm  day ;  she  staid  out 
until  she  was  almost  melted  down  with  the  heat. 

Question.     "What  did  she  do  then? 

Answer.  She  went  to  her  room  and  took  a  bath,  and  dressed  herself 
and  then  lay  down  exhausted.  She  did  not  come  down  to  dinner. 

Ques.     And  did  you  think  that  was  an  evidence  of  insanity? 

Ans.     I  did  —  the  way  it  was  done. 

Ques.  "What,  would  you  have  done  under  similar  circumstances? 
•"Would  you  have  set  down  in  the  clothes  you  had  worked  in  ? 

Ans.     No. 

Ques.  Probably  you  would  have  taken  a  bath  and  chang-  J  your 
clothes  too.  And  so  would  any  lady,  would  they  not  ? 

Ans.     Yes. 

Ques.     Then  would  you  call  yourself  insane  ? 

Ans.  No.  But  she  was  angry  and  excited,  and  showed  ill-will. 
She  was  very  tidy  in  her  habits ;  liked  to  keep  the  house  clean,  and 
have  her  yard  and  flowers  look  -well.  She  took  oons^uerable  pains 
with  these  things. 

I  remained  there  until  she  was  takwi  away;  I  approved  taking  fter 
away  ;  I  deemed  her  dangerous  to  the  church ;  h^r  ideas  were  c-onjrary 
to  the  church,  and  w.ere  wrong. 

The  baby  was  eighteen  monti^s  old  when  she  was  taken  awav.  She 
was  very  fond  of  her  children,  and  treated  them  very  kindly.  Never 
saw  her  misuse  them.  Nvjver  heard  that  she  had  misused  them. 
Never  heard  that  she  was  dangerous  to  herself  or  to  her  family. 
Never  heard  that  she  had  threatened  or  offered  to  destroy  anything 
or  injure  any  person. 

JrooE  BABTLETT  was  next  called  to  the  stand. 

Am  f  .-quainted  with  Mrs.  Packard.  Had  a  conversation  witli  heron 
religioui  :.opics.  "We  agreed  very  well  in  most  things.  She  did  not  say 


SO  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

she  believed  in  the  transmigration  of  souls ;  she  said,  some  persoiiA  had 
expressed  that  idea  to  her,  but  she  did  not  believe  it.  It  was  spoken  of 
lightly.  She  did  not  say  ever  to  me,  that  Mr.  Packard's  soul  would  go 
into  an  ox.  She  did  not  say  anything  about  her  being  related  to  the 
Holy  Ghost.  I  thought  then,  and  said  it,  that  religious  subjects  were 
her  study,  and  that  she  would  easily  be  excited  on  that  subject.  I  could 
not  see  that  she  was  insane.  I  would  go  no  stronger  than  to  say,  that  • 
her  mind  dwelt  on  religious  subjects.  She  could  not 'be  called  insane,  for 
thousands  of  people  believe  as  she  does,  on  religion. 

MRS.  SYBIL  DOLE,  recalled. 

At  the  time  she  got  up  from  the  table  she  went  out.  She  said,  ",1 
•will  have  no  fellowship  with  the  unfruitful  works  o(  darkness.  No ! 
not  so  much  as  to  eat  with  them." 

He-cross-examined.  —  Question.  Did  you  deem  that  an  evidence  of 
insanity  ? 

Answer.     I  did. 

Ques.     She  called  Mr.  Packard  the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness  ? 

Ans.     I  suppose  so. 

Ques.     Did  she  also  include  you? 

Ans.     She  might  have  done  so. 

Ques.  This  was  about  the  time  that  her  husband  was  plotting  to 
kidnap  her,  was  it  not  ? 

Ans.     It  was  just  before  she  was  removed  to  the  Asylum. 

Ques.  He  had  been  charging  her  with  insanity,  had  he  not,  at  the 
table  ? 

Ans.     He  had. 

The  prosecution  now  wished  to  adjourn  the  court  for  ten  days,  to 
enable  them  to  get  Dr.  McFarland,  Superintendent  of  the  State 
Hospital,  who,  they  claimed,  would  testify  that  she  was  insane.  Coun- 
sel stated,  he  had  been  telegraphed  to  come,  and  a  reply  was  received, 
that  he  was  in  Zanesville,  Ohio,  and  would  return  in  about  ten  days. 
They  claimed  his  testimony  would  be  very  important.  This  motion 
the  counsel  of  Mrs.  Packard  opposed,  as  it  was  an  unheard-of  proceed- 
ing to  continue  a  cause  after  the  hearing  was  commenced,  to  enable 
a  party  to  hunt  up  testimony. 

The  matter  was  discussed  on  each  side  for  a  considerable  length  of 
time,  when  the  court  held  that  the  defense  should  go  on  with  theii 
testimony,  and  after  that  was  heard,  then  the  court  would  determine 
about  continuing  the  case  to  get  Dr.  McFarland,  and  perhaps  he  could 


TRIAL   OF   MRS.  PACKARD.  31 

be  got  before  the  defense  was  through,  and  if  so,  he  might  le  sworn; 
and  held  that  the  defense  should  go  on  now. 

The  counsel  of  Mrs.  Packard  withdrew  for  consultation,  and  in  a 
brief  time  returned,  and  announced  to  the  court  that  they  would  submit 
the  case  without  introducing  any  testimony,  and  were  willing  to 
submit  it  without  argument.  The  counsel  for  Mr.  Packard  objected  to 
this,  and  renewed  the  motion  for  a  continuance ;  which  the  court 
refused. 

The  counsel  for  Mr.  Packard  then  offered  to  read  to  the  jury  a  letter 
from  Dr.  McFarland,  dated  in  the  month  of  December,  1863,  written 
to  Rev.  Theophilus  Packard ;  and  also  a  certificate,  under  the  seal  of 
the  State  Hospital  at  Jacksonville,  certifying  that  Mrs.  Packard  waa 
discharged  from  the  institution  in  June,  1863,  and  was  incurably 
insane,  which  certificate  was  signed  by  Dr.  McFarland,  the  Superin- 
tendent. To  the  introduction  of  this  to  the  jury,  the  counsel  for  Mrs. 
Packard  objected,  as  being  incompetent  testimony,  and  debarred  the 
defense  of  the  benefit  of  a  cross-examination.  The  court  permitted 
the  letter  and  certificate  to  be  read  to  the  jury. 

These  documents  were  retained  by  Rev.  Theophilus  Packard,  and 
the  reporter  has  been  unable  to  obtain  copies  of  them.  The  letter  is 
dated  in  December,  1863,  at  the  State  Hospital,  Jacksonville,  Illinois, 
and  written  to  Rev.  Theophilus  Packard,  wherein  Dr.  McFarland  writes 
him  that  Mrs.  Packard  is  hopelessly  insane,  and  that  no  possible  good 
could  result  by  having  her  returned  to  the  Hospital ;  that  the  officers 
of  the  institution  had  done  everything  in  their  power  to  effect  a  cure, 
and  were  satisfied  she  could  not  be  cured,  and  refused  to  receive  her  into 
the  institution. 

The  certificate,  under  the  seal  of  the  Hospital,  was  a  statement, 
dated  in.  June,  1863,  at  Jacksonville,  Illinois,  setting  forth  the  tune 
(three  years)  that  Mrs.  Packard  had  been  under  treatment,  and  that 
she  had  been  discharged,  as  beyond  a  possibility  of  being  cured. 

The  above  is  the  import  of  these  documents,  which  the  reporter 
regrets  he  cannot  lay  before  the  public  in  fuL 

The  prosecution  now  announced  that  they  closed  their  case. 

DEFENSE. 

J.  L.  SIMINGTON  was  the  first  witness  called  for  the  defense. 
Being  sworn,  he  said . 

I  live  in  Manteno  ;  lived  there  since  1859,  early  hi  the  spring. 
Knew  Rev.  Mr.  Packard  and  Mrs.  Packard.  First  became  acquainted 


32  MARITAL    PPWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

with  them  in  1858 ;  I  was  then  engaged  in  the  ministry  of  the  Metho 
dist  Church.     I  have  practiced  medicine  eleven  years. 

I  was  consulted  as  a   family  physician  by  Mrs.    Packard   in  1860. 
Was  quite  well  acquainted  with  Mrs.  Packard,  and  with  the  family. 
Lived  fifty  or  sixty  rods  from  their  house.     Saw  her  and  the  family 
almost  daily.     I  did  not  see  anything  unusual  in  her,  in  regard  to  her 
mind.     I  never  saw  anything  I  thought  insanity  with  her.     So  far  as  I 
know  she  was  a  sane  woman.     I  have  seen  her  since  she  came  from 
•  the  Hospital ;  have  seen  nothing  since  to  indicate  she  was  insane     My 
opinion  is,  she  is  a  sane  woman. 
No  cross-examination  was  made. 

Dr.  J.  D.  MANN,  sworn,  and  says : 

I  live  in  Manteno  ;  have  lived  there  nine  years.  Practiced  medi- 
cine there  six  years.  I  am  not  very  ultimately  acquainted  with  either 
Mr.  or  Mrs.  Packard.  Mr.  Packard  invited  me  to  go  to  his  house  to 
have  an  interview  with  Mrs.  Packard.  I  went  at  his  request.  He 
requested  me  to  make  a  second  examination,  which  I  did.  There  had 
been  a  physician  there  before  I  went.  The  last  time,  he  wanted  me 
t»  meet  Dr.  Brown,  of  this  city,  there.  This  was  late  in  November 
last.  He  introduced  me  to  Mrs.  Packard.  I  had  known  her  before 
she  was  taken  to  the  Hospital,  and  this  was  the  first  time  I  had  seen 
her  since  she  had  returned.  I  Was  there  from  one  to  two  hours.  I 
then  made  up  my  mind,  as  I  had  made  up  my  mind  from  the  first 
interview,  that  I  could  find  nothing  that  indicated  insanity.  I  did  not 
go  when  Dr.  Brown  was  there.  Mr.  Packard  had  told  me  she  was 
insane,  and  my  prejudices  were,  that  she  was  insane.  He  wanted  a 
certificate  of  her  insanity,  to  take  East  with  him.  I  would  not  give  it 

The  witness  was  not  cross-examined. 

JOSEPH  E.  LABEIE,  sworn,  and  says: 

Have  known  Mrs.  Packard  six  years;  lived  fifteen  or  twenty  rods 
from  their  house.  Knew  her  in  spring  of  1860.  Saw  her  nearly  every 
day — sometimes  two  or  three  times  a  day.  I  belong  to  the  Catholic 
Church.  Have  seen  her  since  her  return  from  Jacksonville.  I  have 
seen  nothing  that  could  make  me  think  her  insane.  I  always  said  she 
was  a  sane  woman,  and  say  so  yet. 

Cross-examined. — I  am  not  a  physician.  I  am  not  an  expert.  She 
might  be  insane,  but  no  common-sense  man  could  find  it  out. 

Re-examined. — I  am  a  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  Notary  Public. 
Mr.  Packard  requested  me  to  go  to  his  house  and  take  an  acknowledg 


TRIAL   OF   MRS.  PACKARD.  33 

Kent  of  a  deed  from  her.  I  went  there,  and  she  signed  and  acknowl- 
edged the  deed!  This  was  within  the  past  two  months. 

Re-cross-examined. — I  was  sent  for  to  go  to  the  house  in  the  spring 
of  18(50.  My  wife  was  with  me.  It  was  about  taking  her  to  Jack- 
sonville. Mrs.  Packard  would  not  come  to  the  room  where  I  was.  I 
etayed  there  only  about  twenty  minutes. 

Have  been  there  since  she  returned  from  the  Hospital.  The  door 
t«  her  room  was  locked  on  the  outside.  Mr.  Packard  said,  he  had 
made  up  his  mind  to  let  no  one  into  her  room. 

The  counsel  for  Mrs.  Packard  offered  to  read  to  the  jury  the  follow- 
ing paper,  which  had  been  referred  to  by  the  witnesses,  as  evidence  of 
Mrs.  Packard's  insanity,  and  which  Deacon  Smith  refused  to  hear  read. 
The  counsel  for  Mr.  Packard  examined  the  paper,  and  admitted  it  was 
the  same  paper. 

The  counsel  for  Mrs.  Packard  then  requested  permission  of  the  court 
for  Mrs.  Packard  to  read  it  to  the  jury,  which  was  most  strenuously 
opposed.  The  court  permitted  Mrs.  Packard  to  read  it  to  the  jury. 
Mrs.  Packard  arose,  and  read  in  a  distinct  tone  of  voice,  so  that  every 
word  was  heard  all  over  the  court-room. 

HOW   GODLINESS   IS  PROFITABLE!. 

DEACOS  SMITE — A  question  was  proposed  to  this  class,  the  last  Sabbath 
Brother  Dolo  taught  us,  and  it  was  requested  that  the  class  consider  and  report 
the  result  of  their  investigations  at  a  future  session.  May  I  now  bring  it  up  t 
The  question  was  tliis  : 

"  Have  wo  any  reason  to  expect  that  a  Christian  farmer,  as  a  Christian,  will 
be  any  more  successful  in  his  farming  operations,  than  an  impenitent  sinner  — 
and  if  not,  how  is  it  that  godlinoss  is  profitable  unto  all  things  ?  Or,  in  other 
words,  docs  the  motive  with  which  one  prosecutes  his  secular  business,  other 
ttnngs  being  equal,  make  any  difference  in  the  pecuniary  results?" 

Mrs.  Dixon  gave  it  as  her  opinion,  at  the  time,  that  the  motive  did  affect  the 
pecuniary  results. 

Now  the  practical  result  to  which  this  conclusion  leads,  is  such  as  will  justify 
na  in  our  judging  of  Mrs.  Dixon's  true  moral  character,  next  fall,  by  her  succeat 
In  her  farming  operations  this  summer. 

My  opinion  differs  from  hers  on  this  point  ;  and  my  reasons  are  hero  given  in 
.writing,  since  I  deem  it  necessary  for  me,  under  the  existing  state  of  feeling 
toward  me,  to  put  into  a  written  form  all  I  have  to  say,  hi  the  class,  to  prevent 
cr.isreprcsentation. 

Should  I  be  appropriating  an  unreasonable  share  of  time,  as  a  pupi).  Mr. 

9 


34  MAKITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

Smith,  to  occupy  four  minutes  of  your  time  in  reading  them  ?  I  should  like 
rery  muck  to  read  them,  that  the  class  may  pass  their  honest  criticisms  upon 
them. 

AX  ANSWER  TO   THE   QUESTION. 

I  think  we  have  no  intelligent  reason  for  believing  that  the  motives  with  which 
TTQ  prosecute  our  secular  business,  have  any  influence  in  the  pecuniary  results. 

My  reasons  are  common  sense  reasons,  rather  than  strictly  Bible  proofs,  viz. : 
f  regard  man  as  existing  in  three  distinct  departments  of  being,  viz.,  hi« 
physical  or  animal,  his  mental  or  intellectual,  his  moral  or  spiritual  ;  and  eaci 
of  these  three  distinct  departments  are  under  the  control  of  laws,  peculiar  t« 
ifeelf ;  and  these  different  laws  do  not  interchange  with,  or  affect  each  other' 
Jepartment. 

For  instance,  a  very  immoral  man  may  be  a  very  healthy,  long -lived  man  ;  for, 
notwitlistanding  he  violates  the  moral  department,  he  may  live  in  conformity  tc 
the  physical  laws  of  his  animal  nature,  which  secure  to  him  his  physical  health. 
A.nd,  -on  the  other  hand,  a  very  moral  man  may  suffer  greatly  from  a  diseased 
cody,  and  be  cut  off  in  the  very  midst  of  his  usefulness  by  an  early  death,  in 
Consequence  of  having  violated  the  physical  laws  of  his  animal  constitution. 
But  on  the  moral  plane  he  is  the  gainer,  and  the  immoral  man  is  the  loser. 

So  our  success  in  business  depends  upon  our  conformity  to  those  laws  on  which 
success  depends — not  upon  the  motives  which  act  only  on  the  moral  plane. 

On  Otis  ground,  the  Christian  farmer  has  no  more  reason  to  expect  success  in 
his  farming  operations,  than  the  impenitent  sinner.  In  either  case,  the  founda- 
tion for  success  must  depend  upon  the  degree  of  fiddiiy  with  which  the  natural 
laws  are  applied,  which  cause  the  natural  result — not  upon  the  motives  of  the 
operator ;  since  these  moral  acts  receive  their  penalty  and  reward  on  an  entirely 
different  plane  of  his  being. 

Now  comes  in  the  question,  how  then  is  it  true,  that ' '  godliness  is  profitable  unto 
afl  tlungs, ' '  if  godliness  is  no  guarantee  to  success  in  business  pursuits  ? 

I  reply,  that  the  profits  of  godliness  cannot  mean,  simply,  pecuniary  profits, 
because  this  would  limit  the  gain  of  godliness  to  this  world,  alone  ;  whereas, 
it  is  profitable  not  only  for  Oiis  life,  but  also  for  the  life  to  come.  Gain  and  loss, 
dollars  and  cents,  are  not  the  coins  current  in  the  spiritual  world. 

But  happiness  and  misery  are  coins  which  are  current  in  boGi  worlds.  There- 
fore, it  appears  to  me,  that  happiness  is  the  profit  attendant  upon  godliness, 
and  for  this  reason,  a  practically  godly  person,  who  lives  in  conformity  to  all 
the  various  laws  of  his  entire  being,  may  expect  to  secure  to  himself,  as  a 
natural  result,  a  greater  amount  of  happiness  than  the  ungodly  person. 

So  that,  in  this  sense,  l '  Godliness  is  profitable  unto  all  things,"  to  every 
department  of  our  being. 

MAXTEXO,  Mwish  22,  1860.  E.  P    W.  PACKARD. 


TRIAL   OF  MRS.  PACKARD.  35 

Mrs.  Packard  then  stated  that  the  above  was  presented  to  the  class, 
the  15th  day  of  tho  following  April,  and  was  rejected  by  the  teacner 
Deacon  Smith,  on  the  ground  of  its  being  irrelevant  to  the  subject, 
since  she  had  not  confined  herself  to  the'  Bible  alone  for  proof  of  uer 
position. 

As  she  took  her  seat,  a  murmur  of  applause  arose  from  every  par*, 
of  the  room,  which  was  promptly  suppressed  by  the  sheriff. 

DANIEL  BEEDY,  sworn,  and  says: 

I  live  in  Manteno.  Have  known  Mrs.  Packard  six  years ;  knew 
her  in  the  spring  of  I860.  I  lived  a  mile  and  a  half  from  them. 
Have  seen  her  very  frequently  since  her  return  from  Jacksonville.  Had 
many  conversations  with  her  before  she  was  taken  away,  and  since  uer 
return.  She  always  appeared  to  me  like  a  sane  woman.  I  heard  sbe 
was  insane,  and  my  wife  and  I  went  to  satisfy  ourselves.  I  went  there 
soon  after  the  difficulties  in  the  Bible  class. 

She  is  not  insane.  We  talked  about  religion,  politics,  and  various 
matters,  such  as  a  grey-haired  old  farmer  could  talk  about,  and  I  saw 
nothing  insane  about  her. 

Mr.  BLESSING,  sworn,  aud  says : 

I  live  in  Manteno ;  have  known  Mrs.  Packard  six  years ;  knew  her 
in  the  spring  of  1860  ;  lived  eighty  rods  from  their  house.  She  visited 
at  my.  house.  I  have  seen  her  at  church.  She  attended  the  Methodist 
church  for  a  while  after  the  difficulties  commenced,  and  then  I  saw  her 
every  Sunday.  I  never  thought  her  insane. 

After  the  word  was  given  out  by  her  husband  that  she  was  insane, 
she  claimed  my  particular  protection,  and  wanted  me  to  obtain  a  trial 
for  her  by  the  laws  of  the  land,  and  such  an  investigation  she  said 
she  was  willing  to  stand  by.  She  claimed  Mr.  Packard  was  insane, 
if  .any  one  was.  She  begged  for  a  trial.  I  did  not  then  do  anything, 
because  I  did  not  like  to  interfere  between  man  and  wife.  I  never 
saw  anything  that  indicated  insanity.  She  was  always  rational 
Had  conversations  with  her  since  her  return.  She  first  came  to  my 
house.  She  claimed  a  right  to  live  with  her  family.  She  considered 
herself  more  capable  of  taking  car-e  of  her  family  than  any  otbt" 
person. 

I  saw  her  at  Jacksonville.  I  took  Dr.  Shirley  with  me  to  test  L« 
insanity.  Dr.  Shirley  told  me  she  was  not  insane 

Cross-examination  waived. 


36  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

Mrs.  BLESSING,  sworn,  and  says : 

Have  known  Mrs.  Packard  seven  years;  knew  her  in  1860.  Lived 
near  tnem ;  we  visited  each  other  as  neighbors.  She  first  came  to  our 
house  waen  she  returned  from  Jacksonville.  I  did  not  see  anything 
that  indicated  that  she  was  insane.  I  saw  her  at  Jacksonville.  She 
had  the  keys,  and  showed  me  around.  I  heard  the  conversation  there 
with  LT.  Shirley  ;  they  talked  about  religion ;  did  not  think  she  talked 
unnatural.  When  I  first  went  in,  she  was  at  work  on  a  dress  for  Dr. 
MeFarland's  wife.  I  saw  her  after  she  returned  home  last  fall,  quite 
often,  until  she  was  locked  in'  her  room.  On  Monday  after  she  got 
home,  L  called  on  her ;  she  was  at  work ;  she  was  cleaning  up  the 
feather  t>eds ;  they  needed  cleaning  badly.  I  went  there  afterward ; 
her  daughter  let  me  in.  On  Saturday  before  the  trial  commenced,  I 
was  let  into  her  room  by  *Mr.  Packard ;  she  had  no  fire  in  it ;  we  sat 
there  m  the  cold.  Mr.  Packard  had  a  handful  of  keys,  and  unlocked 
the  door  and  let  me  in.  Mrs.  Hanford  was  with  me.  Before  this, 
Mrs.  Hanford  and  myself  went  there  to  see  her ;  he  would  not  let  us  see 
her ;  ne  shook  his  hand  at  me,  and  threatened  to  put  me  out. 

Mrs.  HASLET,  sworn,  and  said : 

Know  Mrs.  Packard  very  well ;  have  known  her  since  they  lived  in 
Manteno ;  knew  her  in  the  spring  of  1860  ;  and  since  she  returned  from 
Jacksonville,  we  have  been  on  intimate  terms.  I  never  saw  any  signs 
of  insanity  with  her.  I  called  often  before  she  was  kidnapped  and  car- 
ried to  Jacksonville,  and  since  her  return. 

I  recollect  the  time  Miss  Rumsey  was  there;  I  did  not  see  anything 
that  showed  insanity.  I  called  to  see  her  in  a  few  days  after  she  re- 
"turned  from  Jacksonville;  she  was  in  the  yard,  cleaning  feather  beda. 
I  called  again  in  a  few  days  ;  she  was  still  cleaning  house.  The  house 
needed  cleaning ;  and  when  I  again  called,  it  looked  as  if  the  mistress 
of  the  house  was  at  home.  She  had  no  hired  girl.  I  went  again,  and 
was  not  admitted.  I  conversed  with  her  through  the  window ;  the 
window  was  fastened  down.  The  son  refused  me  admission.  The 
window  \Y;>>  fastened  with  nails  on  the  inside,  and  by  two  screws, 
passing  iii!-i>ugU  the  lower  part  of  the  upper  sash  and  the  upper  part  of 
the  lower  sjisli,  from  the  outside.  I  did  not  see  Mr.  Packard  this  time. 

Cross-examination.  —  She  talked  about  getting  released  from  her 
imprisonment.  She  asked  if  filing  a  bill  of  complaint  would  lead  to  a 
divu^tj.  She  said  she  did  not  want  a  divorce ;  she  only  wanted  pro- 
tection from  Mr.  Packard's  cruelty.  I  advised  her  to  not  stand  it 
ouietly,  but  get  a  divorce. 


TKIAL   OF   MRS.  TACKAKD.  37 

Dr.  DUXCAXSON,  sworn,  and  said : 

I  live  here ;  am  a  physician ;  have  been  a  clergyman ;  have  been  a 
practicing  physician  twenty-one  years.  Have  known  Mrs.  Packard 
since  ^.is  trial  commenced.  .  Have  "known  her  by  general  report  for 
three  years  and  upwards.  I  visited  her  at  Mr.  Orr's.  I  was  requested 
to  go  there  and  have  a  conversation  with  her  and  determine  if  she  was 
sane  or  insane.  Talked  three  hours  with  her,  on  political,  religious 
and  scientific  subjects,  and  on  mental  and  moral  philosophy.  I  was 
educated  at  and  received  diplomas  from  the  University  of  Glasgow,  and 
Anderson  University  of  Glasgow.  I  went  there  to  see  her,  and  prove 
or  disprove  her  insanity.  I  think  not  only  that  she  is  sane,  but  the 
most  intelligent  lady  I  have  talked  with  ha  many  years.  We  talked 
religion  very  thoroughly.  I  find  her  an  expert  in  both  departments, 
Old  School  and  New  School  theology.  There  are  thousands  of  persons 
who  believe  just  as  she  does.  Many  of  her  ideas  and  doctrines  are 
embraced  in  Svvedenborgianism,  and  many  are  found  only  in  the  New 
School  theology.  The  best  and  most  learned  men  of  both  Europe  and 
this  country,  are  advocates  of  these  doctrines,  in  one  shape  or  the  other ; 
and  some  bigots  and  men  with  minds  of  small  calibre  may  call  thest 
great  minds  insane ;  but  that  does  not  make  them  insane.  An  insane 
mind  is  a  diseased  mind.  These  minds  are  the  perfection  of  intellectua. 
powers,  healthy,  strong,  vigorous,  and  just  the  reverse  of  diseased 
minds,  or  insane.  Her  explanation  of  woman  representing  the  Hojy 
Ghost,  and  man  representing  the  male  attributes  of  the  Father,  ana 
that  the  Son  is  the  fruit  of  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  a  very 
ancient  theological  dogma,  and  entertained  by  many  of  our  most  emi- 
nent men.  On  every  topic  I  introduced,  sir  was  perfectly  familiar, 
aud  discussed  them  with  an  intelligence  thac  at  once  showed  she  was 
possessed  of  a  good  education,  and  a  strong  and  vigorous  mind.  I  did 
not  agree  with  her  hi  sentiment  on  many  things,  but  I  do  not  call 
people  insane  because  they  differ  from  me,  nor  from  a  majority, 
even,  of  people.  Many  persons  called  Swedenborg  insane.  That  is 
true ;  but  he  had  the  largest  brain  of  any  person  during  the  age  in 
which  he  lived ;  and  no  one  now  dares  call  him  insane.  You  rrvght 
with  as  much  propriety  call  Christ  insane,  because  he  taught  the  people 
many  new  and  strange  things ;  or  Galileo ;  or  Newton ;  or  Lutner . 
or  Robert  Fulton;  or  Morse,  who  electrified  the  world;  or  Watts 
or  a  thousand  others  I  might  name.  Morse's  best  friends  for  a  jong 
time  thought  him  mad ;  yet  there  was  a  magnificent  nuau,  tuv  em- 
bodiment of  health  and  vigor. 

So  with  Mrs.  Packard ;  there  is  wanting  every  indication  of  insanity 


38  MARITAL    POWGR    EXEMPLIFIED. 

that  is  laid  down  in  the  books.     I  pronounce  her  a  sane  woman,  and 
wish  we  had  a  nation  of  such  women. 

This  witness  was  cross-examined  at  some  length,  which  elicited 
nothing  new,  when  he  retired 

The  defense  now  announced  to  the  court  that  they  had  closed  all 
the  testimony  they  wished  to  introduce,  and  inasmuch  as  the  case  had 
occupied  so  much  time,  they  would  propose  to  submit  it  without  argu- 
ment. The  prosecution  would  not  consent  to  this  arrangement. 

The  case  was  argued  ably  and  at  length,  by  Messrs.  Loomis  and 
Bonfield  for  the  prosecution,  and  by  Messrs.  Orr  and  Loring  on  the 
part  of  the  defense. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  give  even  a  statement  of  the  arguments 
made,  and  do  the  attorneys  justice,  in  the  space  allotted  to  this 
report. 

On  the  18th  day  of  January,  1864,  at  10  o'clock,  p.  M.,  the  jury 
retired  for  consultation,  under  the  charge  of  the  sheriff.  After  an  ab- 
sence of  seven  minutes,  they  returned  into  court,  and  gave  the  follow- 
ing verdict: 

STATE   OF  ILLINOIS,  ) 

KANKAKEE  COUNTY,        j 

We,  the  undersigned,  Jurors  in  the  case  of  Mrs.  Elizabeth  P.  W. 
Packard,  alleged  to  be  insane,  having  heard  the  evidence  in  the  case, 
are  satisfied  that  said  Elizabeth  P.  "W.  Packard  is  SANE. 

JOHN  STILES,  Foreman.  H.  HIRSHBERO, 

DANIEL  G.  BEAN.  NELSON  JERVAIS. 

F.  G.  HUTCHINSON.  WILLIAM  HYER. 
V.  H.  YOUNG.  GEO.  H.  ANDREWS 

G.  M,  LYONS.  J.  F.  MAFIT. 
THOMAS  MUNCEY.  LEMUEL  MILK. 

Cheers  rose  from  every  part  of  the  house  ;  the  ladies  waved  thei* 
handkerchiefs,  and  pressed  around  Mrs.  Packard,  and  extended  her 
their  congratulations.  It  was  sometime  before  the  oxitburst  of  applause 
couM  V™  checked.  When  order  was  restored,  the  counsel  for  Mrs 
PacKard  n><wed  the  court,  that  she  be  discharged.  Thereuoon  th- 
o>-d»Te<J  ti»*  clerk  to  enter  the  Allowing  order : 


TRIAL   OF   MRS.  PACKARD.    T  .  39 

STATE  OF  ILLINOIS,  ) 

KANKAKEE  COUNTY,        f     ' 

It  is  hereby  ordered  that  Mrs.  Elizabeth  P.  "W.  Packard  be  relieved 
from  all  restraint  incompatible  with  her  condition  as  a  sane  woman. 

C.  R.  STARR, 
Judge  of  the  10th  Judicial  Circuit  of  the  State  of  Illinois 

January  18,  1864. 

Thus  ended  the  trial  of  this  remarkable  case.  During  each  day  of 
the  proceedings  the  court-room  was  crowded  to  excess  by  an  anxious 
audience  of  ladies  and  gentlemen,  who  are  seldom  in  our  courts.  The 
verdict  of  the  jury  was  received  with  applause,  and  hosts  of  friends 
crowded  upon  Mrs.  Packard  to  congratulate  her  upon  her  release. 

During  the  past  two  months,  Mr.  Packard  had  locked  her  up  in  her 
own  house,  fastened  the  windows  outside,  and  carried  the  key  to  the 
door,  and  made  her  a  close  prisoner.  He  was  maturing  a  plan  to 
immure  her  in  an  Asylum  in  Massachusetts,  and  for  that  purpose  was 
ready  to  start  on  the  Thursday  before  the  writ  was  sued  out,  when 
his  plan  was  disclosed  to  Mrs.  Packard  by  a  letter  he  accidentally 
dropped  in  her  room,  written  by  his  sister  in  Massachusetts,  telling  him 
the  route  he  should  take,  and  that  a  carriage  would  be  ready  at  the 
station  to  put  her  in  and  convey  her  to  the  Asylum. 

Vigorous  action  became  necessary,  and  she  communicated  this  start- 
lin*  intelligence  through  her  window  to  some  ladies  who  had  come 

o  o  o 

to  see  her,  and  were  refused  admission  into  the  house. 

On  Monday  morning,  and  before  the  defense  had  rested  their  case, 
Mr.  Packard  left  the  State,  bag  and  baggage,  for  parts  unknown, 
having  first  mortgaged  his  property  for  all  it  is  worth  to  his  sister  and 
other  parties. 

We  cannot  do  better  than  close  this  report  with  the  following  edito- 
rial from  the  Kankakee  Gazette,  of  January  21,  1864: 

MRS.    PACKARD, 

The  case  of  this  lady,  which  has  attracted  so  much  attention  and 
excited  so  much  interest  for  ten  days  past,  was  decided  on  Monday 
evening  last,  and  resulted,  as  almost  every  person  thought  it  must, 
in  a  complete  vindication  of  her  sanity.  The  jury  retired  on  Monday 
evening,  after  nearing  the  arguments  of  the  counsel :  and  after  a  brief  con 
sultation,  they  brought  in  a  verdict  that  MIT.  Packard  is  a  sane  woman. 


40        *  MARITAL  PO-\V::R  EXEMPLIFIED. 

Tims  has  resulted  an  investigation  which  Mrs.  Packard  has  long 
and  always  desired  should  be  had,  but  which  her  cruel  husband  has 
ever  sternly  refused  her.  She  has  always  asked  and  earnestly  pleaded 
for  a  jury  trial  of  her  case,  but  her  relentless  persecutor  has  ever 
turned  a  deaf  ear  to  her  entreaties,  and  flagrantly  violated  all  the 
dictates  of  justice  and  humanity. 

She  has  suffered  the  alienation  of  friends  and  relatives ;  the  shock 
of  a  kidnapping  by  her  husband  and  his  posse  when  forcibly  removed 
to  the  Asylum;  has  endured  three  years  incarceration  in  that  Asylum 
— upon  the  general  treatment  in  which  there  is  severe  comment  in  the 
State,  and  which  hi  her  special  case  was  aggravatingly  unpleasant  and 
ill-favored ;  returning  to  her  home  she  found  her  husband's  saintly 
blood  still  congealed,  a  winter  of  perpetual  frown  on  his  face,  and  the 
sad  doii  monotony  of  "  insane,  insane,"  escaping  his  lips  in  all  his  com- 
munications to  and  concerning  her ;  her  young  family,  the  youngest 
of  the  four  at  home  being  less  than  four  years  of  age,  these  children 
— over  whose  slumbers  she  had  watched,  and  whose  wailings  she  had 
hushed  with  all  a  mother's  care  and  tenderness  —  had  been  taught  to 
look  upon  her  as  insane,  and  they  were  not  to  respect  the  counsels  or 
heed  the  voice  of  a  maniac  just  loosed  from  the  Asylum,  doom  scaled 
by  official  certificates. 

Soon  her  aberration  of  mind  led  her  to  seek  some  of  her  better 
clothing  carefully  kept  from  her  by  her  husband,  which  very  woman- 
like act  was  seized  by  him  as  an  excuse  for  confining  her  in  her  room, 
*nd  depriving  her  of  her  apparel,  and  excluding  her  lady  friends. 
Believing  that  he  was  about  to  again  forcibly  take  her  to  an  asylum, 
four  responsible  citizens  of  that  village  made  affidavit  of  facts  which 
caused  the  investigation  as  to  her  sanity  or  insanity.  During  the 
whole  of  the  trial  she  was  present,  and  counseled  with  her  attorneys 
in  the  management  of  the  case. 

Notwithstanding  the  severe  treatment  she  has  received  for  nearly 
four  years  past,  the  outrages  she  has  suffered,  the  wrong  to  her  nature 
*he  has  endured,  she  deported  herself  during  the  trial  as  one  who  is 
not  only  not  insane,  but  as  one  possessing  intellectual  endowments  of  a 
high  order,  and  an  equipoise  and  control  of  mind  far  above  the  majority 
of  human  kind.  Let  the  sapient  Dr.  Brown,  who  gave  a  certificate 
of  insanity  after  a  short  conversation  with  her,  and  which  certificate 
was  to  be  used  in  aid  of  her  incarceration  for  life  —  suffer  as  she  has 
Buffered,  endure  what  she  has  endured,  and  the  world  would  be  deprived 
of  future  clinical  revealings  from  his  gigantic  m'nd  upon  the  subject 
of  the  spleen,  and  he  would,  to  a  still  greater  extent  than  in  the  past, 


TRIAL   OF   MRS.  PACKARD.  41 

"fail  to  illuminate"  the  public  as   to  the  virtues  and  glories  of  the 
martyr  who  is  "watching  and  waiting"  in  Canada. 

The  heroic  motto:  "suffer  and  be  strong,"  is  fairly  illustrated  in  her 
case.  While  many  would  have  opposed  force  to  his  force,  displayed 
frantic  emotions  of  displeasure  at  such  treatment,  or  sat  convulsed  and 
"  maddened  with  the  passion  of  her  part, '  sne  meekly  submitted  to 
the  tortures  of  her  bigoted  tormentor,  trusting  and  believing  in  God's 
Providence  the  hour  of  her  vindication  and  her  release  from  thraldom 
would  come.  And  now  the  fruit  of  her  suffering  and  persecution  ha.- 
all  the  autumn  glory  of  perfection 

11  One  who  walked 

From  the  throne's  splendor  to  the  bloody  blocs, 
Said:  '  This  completes  my  glory'  with  a  srniie 
"Which  still  illuminates  men's  thoughts  of  her.' 

Feeling  the  accusations  of  his  guilty  conscience,  seeing  the  meshea 
of  the  net  with  which  he  had  kept  her  surrounded  were  broken,  and  a 
storm-cloud  of  indignation  about  to  break  over  his  head  in  pitiless 
fury,  the  intolerant  Packard,  after  encumbering  their  property  with 
trust-deeds,  and  despoiling  her  of  her  furniture  and  clothing,  left  the 
country.  Let  him  wander  !  with  the  mark  of  infamy  upon  his  brow, 
through  far-off  States,  where  distance  and  obscurity  may  diminish  till 
the  grave  shall  cover  the  wrongs  it  cannot  heal. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  Mrs.  Packard  will  make  immediate  application  for  a 
divorce,  and  thereby  relieve  herself  of  a  repetition  of  the  wrongs  and 
outrages  she  has  suffered  by  him  who  for  the  past  four  years  has  only 
used  the  marriage  relation  to  persecute  and  torment  her  in  a  mere«esi 
vnd  unfeeling  manner. 


NARRATIVE  OF  EVENTS— CONTINUED. 


WHEN  this  Trial  terminated,  I  returned  to  my  home  in  Manteno, 
where  five  days  previous  I  had  bestowed  the  parting  kiss  upon  my 
three  youngest  children,  little  thinking  it  would  be  the  last  embrace 
I  should  be  allowed  to  bestow  upon  these  dear  objects  of  my  warmest 
affections.  But  alas  !  so  it  proved  to  be.  Mr.  Packard  had  fled 
with  them  to  Massachusetts,  leaving  me  in  the  court  room  a  childless 
widow.  He  could  not  but  see  that  the  tide  of  popular  indignation 
was  concentrating  against  him,  as  the  revelations  of  the  court  venti- 
lated the  dreadful  facts  of  this  conspiracy,  and  he  "  fled  his  country," 
a  fugitive  from  justice.  He,  however,  left  a  letter  for  me  which  was 
handed  me  before  I  left  the  Court-house,  wherein  he  stated  that  he 
had  moved  to  Massachusetts,  and  extended  to  me  an  invitation  to  fol- 
low him,  with  the  promise  that  he  would  provide  me  a  suitable  home. 
But  I  did  not  feel  much  like  trusting  either  to  his  humanity  or  judgment 
in  providingme  another  home.  Indeed,  I  did  not  think  it  safe  to  follow 
him,  knowing  that  Massachusetts'  laws  gave  him  the  absolute  custody 
of  my  person  as  well  as  Illinois'  laws.  He  went  to  South  Deerfield, 
Massachusetts,  and  sought  shelter  for  himself  and  his  children  in  the 
family  of  his  sister,  Mrs.  Severance,  one  of  his  co-conspirators.  Here 
he  found  willing  ears  to  credit  his  tale  of  abuses  he  had  suffered  in 
this  interference  of  his  rights  to  do  as  he  pleased  with  his  lawful 
wife — and  in  representing  the  trial  as  a  "  mock  trial,"  an  illegal  in- 
terference with  his  rights  as  head  of  his  own-  household,  and  a  "  mob 
triumph," — and  in  short,  he  was  an  innocent  victim  of  a  persecution 
against  his  legally  constituted  rights  as  a  husband,  to  protect  his  wife 
ii\  the  way  his  own  feelings  of  bigotry  and  intolerance  should 
dictate ! 

This  was  the  region  of  his  nativity  and  former  pastorate,  Avhich  he 
had  left  about  eleven  years  previously,  with  an  unblemished  external 
character,  and  sharing,  to  an  uncommon  degree,  the  entire  confidence 
of  the  public  as  a  Cliristian  man  and  a  minister.  Nothing  had  oc- 


NARRATIVE    OF    EVENTS.  43 

cnrml.  to  their  knowledge,  to  disturb  this  confidence  in  his  present  in- 
tegrity as  an  honest  reporter,  and  the  entire  community  credited  his 
testimony  as  perfectly  reliable,  in  his  entire  misrepresentations  of  the 
facts  in  the  case,  and  the  character  of  the  trial.  His  view  was,  the 
only  view  the  community  were  allowed  to  hear,  so  far  as  it  was  in 
his  power  to  prevent  it.  The  press  also  lent  him  its  aid,  as  his 
organ  of  communication.  He  met  also  his  old  associates  in  the  min- 
istry, and  by  his  artfully  arranged  web  of  lies,  and  his  cunning  soph- 
istries, he  deluded  them  also  into  a  belief  of  his  views,  sp  that  they, 
unanimously,  gave  him  their  certificate  of  confidence  and  fraternal 
sympathy.  Yea,  even  my  own  father  and  brothers  became  victims  t 
also  of  his  sophisms  and  misrepresentations,  so  that  they  honestly  be-  • 
lieved  me  to  be  insane,  and  that  the  Westerners  had  really  interfered 
with  Mr.  Packard's  rights  and  kind  intents  towards  his  wife,  in  inter- 
cepting as  they  had,  his  plans  to  keep  her  incarcerated  for  life. 

Thus  this  one-sided  view  of  the  facts  in  the  case  so  moulded  public 
sentiment  in  this  conservative  part  of  New  England,  that  he  even  ob- 
tained a  certificate  from  my  own  dear  father,  a  retired  orthodox  cler-  j 
gyman  in  Sunderland,  Massachusetts,  that,  so  far  as  he  knew,  he  had  I 
treated  his  daughter  generally  with  propriety ! !  This  certificate 
served  as  a  passport  to  the  confidence  of  Sunderland  people  in  Mr. 
Packard  as  a  man  and  a  minister,  and  procured  for  him  a  call  to  be- 
come their  minister  in  holy  things.  He  was  accordingly  hired,  a* 
stated  supply,  and  paid  fifteen  dollars  a  Sabbath  for  one  year  and  a 
half,  and  was  boarded  by  my  father  in  his  family,  part  of  the  time, 
free  of  charge. 

The  condition   in  which   Mr.  Packard  left  me  I  will  now  give  • 
in    the  language  of  another,   by   inserting  here    a   quotation   from  | 
one   of   the    many    Chicago    papers   which   published    an    account 
of  this  trial  with  editorial  remarks  accompanying  it.     The  following 
is  a  part  of  one  of  these  Editorial  Articles,  which  appeared  under  the 
caption :  — 

"A   HEARTLESS    CLERGYMAN." 

Chicago,  March  6,  1864. 

"  We  recently  gave  an  extended  account  of  the  melancholy  case  of 
Mrs.  Packard,  of  Manteno,  111.,  and  showed  how  she  was  persecuted  by 
her  husband,  Rev.  Theophilus  Packard,  a  bigoted  Presbyterian  minister 
of  Manteno.  Mrs.  Packard  became  liberal  in  her  views,  in  fact,  avowed 
Universalist  sentiments  ;  and  as  her  husband  was  unable  to  answer  her 
arguments,  he  thought  he  could  silence  her  tongue,  by  calling  her  insane, 


44  MAIUTAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

and  having  her  incarcerated  in  the  Insane  Asylum  at  Jacksonville, 
Illinois.  He  finally  succeeded  in  finding  one  or  two  orthodox  physi- 
cians, as  bigoted  as  himself,  ready  to  aid  him  in  his  nefarious  work, 
and  she  was  confined  in  the  asylum,  under  the  charge  (?)  of  Dr.  Me 
Farland,  who  kept  her  there  three  years.  She  at  last  succeeded  in 
having  a  jury  trial,  and  was  pronounced  sane.  Previous,  however, 
to  the  termination  of  the  trial,  this  persecutor  of  his  wife,  mortgaged 
his  property,  took  away  his  children  from  the  mother,  and  left  her 
penniless  and  homeless,  without  a  cent  to  buy  food,  or  a  place  where 
to  lay  her  head !  And  yet  he  pretended  to  be,lieve  that  she  was 
insane-!  Is  this  the  way  to  treat  an  insane  wife !  Abandon  her, 
turn  her  out  upon  the  world  without  a  morsel  of  bread,  and  no  home  ? 
Her  husband  calls  her  insane.  Before  the  case  is  decided  by  the 
jury,  he  starts  for  parts  unknown.  Was  there  ever  such  a  case 
of  heartlessness  ?  If  Mr.  Packard  believed  his  wife  to  be  hopelessly 
insane,  why  did  he  abandon  her  ?  Is  this  the  way  to  treat  a  compan- 
ion afflicted  with  insanity  ?  If  he  believed  his  own  story,  he  should, 
like  a  devoted  husband,  have  watched  over  her  with  tenderness,  his 
heart  full  of  love  should  have  gone  out  towards  the  poor,  afflicted  wo- 
man, and  he  should  have  bent  over  her  and  soothed  her,  and  spent  the 
last  penny  he  had,  for  her  recovery  !  But  instead  of  this,  he  gathers 
in  his  funds,  "  packs  up  his  duds,"  and  leaves  his  poor,  insane  wife,  as 
he  calls  her,  in  the  court  room,  without  food  or  shelter.  He  abandons 
tier,  leaving  her  penniless,  homeless  and  childless  ! 

"  Mrs.  Packard  is  now  residing  with  Mr.  Z.  Handford,  of  Manteno, 
who  writes  to  the  Kankakee  Gazette  as  follows : 

"  In  the  first  place,  Mrs.  Packard  is  now  penniless.  After  having 
aided  her  husband  for  twenty-one  years,  by  her  most  indefatigable 
exertions,  to  secure  for  themselves  a  home,  with  all  its  clustering 
comforts,  he,  with  no  cause,  except  a  difference  in  religious  opinions, 
exiled  her  from  her  home,  by  forcing  her  into  Jacksonville  Insane 
Asylum,  where  he  hoped  to  immure  her  for  life,  or  until  she  would 
abandon  what  lie  calls  her  '  insane  notions.' 

"But  in  the  overruling  providence  of  a  just  God,  her  case  has 
been  ventilated,  at  last,  by  a  jury  trial,  the  account  of  which  is 
already  before  the  public. 

"From  the  time  of  her  banishment  into  exile,  now  more  than 
three  and  a  half  years,  he  has  not  allowed  her  the  control  of  one 
dollar  of  their  personal  property.  And  she  has  had  nothing  to  do 
with  their  real  estate,  within  that  time,  excepting  to  sign  one  deed 


NARRATIVE    OP    EVENTS.  45 

for  the  transfer  of  some  of  their  real   estate   in  Mount  Pleasant,    t 
Iowa,  which  she   did  at  her  husband's  earnest  solicitations,  and  his    \ 
promise  to  let  her  have  her  '  defense,'  long  enough  to  copy,  which 
document  he  had  robbed  her  of  three  years  before,  by  means  of  Dr. 
McFarland  as   agent.     Her  signature,  thus  obtained,  was  acknowl- 
edged as  a  valid  act,  and  the  deed  was  presented  to  the  purchaser  as 
a  valid  instrument,  even  after  Mr.  Packard  had  just  before  taken  an 
oath  that  his  wife  was  an  insane  woman  ! 

"He  has  robbed  her  of  all  her  patrimony,  including  not  only  her 
furniture,  but  her  valuable  clothing  also,  and  a  note  of  six  hundred 
dollars  on  interest,  which  he  gave  her  seven  years  before,  as  an  equiva- 
lent for  this  amount  of  patrimony  which  her  father,  Rev.  Samuel  Ware, 
of  Sunderland,  Massachusetts,  sent  Mrs.  Packard  for  her  special 
benefit,  and  to  be  used  for  her  and  her  children  as  her  own  judgment 
should  dictate.  He  has  taken  her  furniture  and  clothing,  or  the  avails 
of  them,  with  him  to  Massachusetts,  without  allowing  her  a  single 
article  of  furniture  for  her  own  individual  comfort  and  use.  Thus  he 
has  left  her  without  a  single  penny  of  their  common  property  to  pro- 
cure for  herself  the  necessaries  of  life.  ,  .*,;«'... 

"  He  has  left  her  homeless.  Before  the  court  closed,  Mr.  Packard  t 
left  this  scene  of  revelations,  and  mortgaged  and  rented  their  home  in 
Manteno,  and  dispossessed  it  by  night  of  its  furniture,  so  that  when 
the  court  closed,  Mrs.  Packard  had  no  sort  of  home  to  return  to,  the 
new  renter  having  claimed  possession  of  her  home,  and  claiming  a 
legal  right  to  all  its  privileges,  excluding  her  from  its  use  entirely  as 
a  home,  without  leaving  her  the  least  legal  claim  to  any  of  the  avails 
of  the  rent  or  sales  for  the  supply  of  her  present  necessities. 

"  Again,  she  is  childless.  Her  cruel  husband,  not  satisfied  with 
robbing  his  wife  of  all  her  rightful  property,  has  actually  kidnapped  | 
all  her  dear  children  who  lived  at  home,  taking  them  with  him,  clan- 
destinely, to  Massachusetts,  leaving  her  a  '  childless  widow,'  entirely 
dependent  for  her  living,  either  upon  her  own  exertions,  or  the  char- 
ities of  the  public.  We  will  not  attempt  to  describe  the  desolation 
of  her  maternal  heart,  when  she  returned  to  her  deserted  home,  to 
find  it  despoiled  of  all  her  dearest  earthly  treasures ;  with  no  sweet 
cherub,  with  its  smi-ling,  joyous  face  to  extend  to  her  the  happy,  wel- 
come kiss  of  a  mother's  return. 

"  But  one  short  week  previous,  Mrs,  Packard  had  bestowed  the 
parting  kiss  upon  her  three  youngest  children,  little  dreaming  it 
would  be  the  last  embrace  the  mother  would  ever  be  allowed  to  be- 


46  MARITAL    POAVEU    EXEMPLIFIED. 

stow  upon  her  dear  offspring,  in  their  own  dear  home.  But  now, 
alas!  where  is  her  only  daughter,  Elizabeth,  of  thirteen  years,  and 
her  George  Hastings,  of  ten  years,  and  her  darling  baby,  Arthur 
Dwight,  of  five  years  ?  Gone !  gone !  never  to  return,  while  the 
mandate  of  their  father's  iron  will  usurps  supreme  control  of  this 
household ! 

"Yes,  the  mother's  home  and  heart  are  both  desolate,  for  her  heart-' 
treasures — her  dear  children — are  no  more  to  be  found.  At  length, 
rumor  reaches  her  that  her  babe,  Arthur,  is  at  their  brother  Dole's. 
The  anxious  mother  hastens  to  seek  for  it  there.  But  all  in  vain. 
The  family,  faithful  to  their  brother's  wishes,  keep  the  babe  carefully 
hid  from  the  mother,  so  that  she  cannot  p,et  even  one  glimpse  of  her 
sweet,  darling  boy.  Her  cruel  husbanJ,  fearing  her  attempts  to  se- 
cure the  child  might  prove  successful,  has  sent  for  it  to  be  brought  to 
him  in  Massachusetts,  where  he  now  is  fairly  out  of  the  mother's 
reach.'"  Z.  HAXFORD. 

I  made  various  attempts  to  recover  my  furniture,  which  I  found 
was  stored  at  Deacon  Doles'  house,  a  brother-in-law  of  Mr.  Packard's, 
under  the  pretense,  that  he  had  bought  it,  although  he  could  never 
show  one  paper  as  proof  of  property  transferred.  I  took  counsel  of 
the  Judge  and  lawyers  j'.t  Kankakee,  to  see  if  I  could  in  any  way 
recover  my  stolen  furniture,  which  I  had  bought  with  my  own  patri- 
mony. "  Can  I  rcplevy  it  as  stolen  property  ?"  said  I.  "No,"  said  my 
advisers,  "  you  cannot  replevy  anything,  for  you  are  a  married  wo- 
man, and  a  married  woman  has  no  legal  existence,  unless  she  holds 
property  independent  of  her  husband.  As  this  is  not  your  case,  you 
are  nothing  and  nobody  in  law.  Your  husband  has  a  legal  right  to  all 
your  common  property — you  have  not  even  a  right  to  the  hat  on 
your  head !  "  "  Why  ?  "  said  I,  "  I  have  bought  and'  paid  for  it  with 
my  own  money."  "  That  is  of  no  consequence — you  can  hold  noth- 
ing, as  you  are  nothing  and  nobody  in  law !  You  have  a  moral  right 
to  your  own  things,  and  your  own  children,  but  no  legal  right  at  all ; 
therefore  you,  a  married  woman,  cannot  replevy,  although  any  one 
else  could  under  like  circumstances."  "  Is  this  so  ?  Has  a  married 
woman  no  identity  in  Statute  Book  of  Illinois  ?  "  "  It  is  so.  Her 
interests  are  all  lost  in  those  of  her  husband,  and  he  has  the  absolute 
control  of  her  home,  her  property,  her  children,  and  her  personal 
liberty." 

Yes,  all  this  is   but  too  true,  as  my  own  sad  experience  fully  de- 


NARRATIVE    OF   EVENTS.  .  47 

monstrates.  Now  I  can  realize  the  sad  truths  so  often  iterated,  reite- 
rated to  me  by  my  husband,  namely :  "  You  have  no  riylit  tc  your 
home,  I  have  let  you  live  with  me  twenty-one  years  in  my  home  as  a 
favor  to  you.  You  have  no  right  to  your  children.  I  let  you  train 
them,  as  far  as  I  think  it  is  proper  to  trust  your  judgment — this  priv- 
ilege of  training  and  educating  your  own  children  is  a  favor  bestowed 
upon  you  by  me,  which  I  can  withold  or  grant  at  my  own  option. 
You  have  no  right  to  your  money  patrimony  after  you  intrusted  it  to 
my  care,  and  I  gave  you  a  note  for  it  on  interest  which  I  can  either 
pay  you  or  not  at  my  own  option.  You  have  no  right  to.  your  personal 
liberty  if  I  feel  disposed  to  christen  your  opinions  insane  opinions,  for 
I  can  then  treat  you  as  an  insane  person  or  not,  just  at  my  own  op- 
tion." Yes,  Mr.  Packard  has  only  treated  me  as  he  said  the  laws 
of  Illinois  allowed  him  to  do,  and  how  can  he  be  blamed  then  ?  Did 
not  "  wise  men  "  make  the  laws,  as  he  often  used  to  assert  they  did  ? 
And  can  one  be  prosecuted  for  doing  a  legal  act  ?  Nay — verily — no 
law  can  reach  him ;  even  his  kidnapping  me  as  he  did  is  legalized  in 
Illinois  Statute  Book,  as  the  following  article  which  was  published  in 
several  Boston  papers  in  the  winter  of  1865,  demonstrates,  namely; 

"LEGAL  KIDNAPPING,"  OR  PROVISION  FOR  A  SANE  PERSON'S  IM- 
PRISONMENT. 

"  From  the  '  Disclosures '  of  Mrs.  Packard's  book,  it  appears  a 
self-evident  fact  that  one  State  of  our  Union  has  an  express  provision 
for  the  imprisonment  of  married  women  who  are  not  insane.  And 
this  process  of  legal  kidnapping  is  most  strikingly  illustrated  in  the 
facts  developed  in  Mrs.  Packard's  own  experience,  as  delineated  in 
her  book  entitled  '  The  Great  Drama.' 

"  The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  Law,  as  it  now  stands  on  the  Illi- 
nois Statute  Book : — 

"AMENDATORY  ACT." 
"Session  Laws  15,  1851.     Page  96." 

"  SEC.  10.  Married  women  and  infants  who,  in  the  judgment 
of  the  Medical  Superintendent,  [meaning  the  Superintendent  of  the 
'  Illinois  State  Hospital "  for  the  insane]  are  evidently  insane  or  dis- 
tracted, may  be  entered  or  detained  in  the  Hospital  on  the  request 
of  the  husband,  or  the  woman  or  guardian  of  the  infants,  without  the 
evidence  of  insanity  required  in  other  cases." 


48  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

"  Hon.  S.  S.  Jones  of  St.  Charles,  Illinois,  thus  remarks  upon  this 
Act : — 

"  Thus  we  see  a  corrupt  husband,  with  money  enough  to  corrupt 
a  Superintendent,  can  get  rid  of  a  wife  as  effectually  as  was  ever  done 
in  a  more  barbarous  age.  The  Superintendent  may  be  corrupted 
either  with  money  or  influence,  that  he  thinks  will  give  him  position, 
place,  or  emoluments.  Is  not  this  a  pretty  statute  to  be  incorporated 
into  our  laws  no  more  than  thirteen  years  ago  ?  Why  not  confine 
the  husband  at  the  instance  of  the  wife,  as  well  as  the  wife  at  the  in- 
stance of  the  husband?  The  wife  evidently  had  no  voice  in  making 
the  law. 

"  Who,  being  a  man,  and  seeing  this  section  in  the  Statute  Book 
of  Illinois,  under  the  general  head  of  '  Charities,'  does  not  blush  and 
hang  his  head  for  very  shame  at  legislative  perversion  of  so  holy  a 
term  ?  I  have  no  doubt,  if  the  truth  of  the  matter  were  known,  this 
act  was  passed  at  the  special  instance  of  the  Superintendent.  A  de- 
sire for  power.  I  do  not  know  why  it  has  not  been  noted  by  me  and 
others  before." 

"  And  we  would  also  venture  to  inquire,  what  is  the  married  wo- 
man's' protection  under  such  a  Statute  law?  Is  she  not  allowed 
counter  testimony  from  a  physician  of  her  own  choice,  or  can  she  not 
demand  a  trial  of  some  kind,  to  show  whether  the  charge  of  insanity 
brought  against  her  is  true  or  false  ?  Nay,  verily.  The  Statute  ex- 
pressly states  that  the  judgment  of  the  medical  Superintendent,  to 
whom  the  husband's  request  is  made,  is  all  that  is  required  for  him 
to  incarcerate  his  wife  for  any  indefinite  period  of  time.  Neither 
she,  her  children,  nor  her  relatives  have  any  voice  at  all  in  the  mat- 
ter. Her  imprisonment  may  be  life-long,  for  anything  she  or  her 
friends  can  do  for  her  to  prevent  it.  If  the  husband  has  money  or 
influence  enough  to  corrupt  the  officials,  he  can  carrv  out  his  single 
wishes  concerning  his  wife's  life-destiny. 

"  Are  not  the  '  Divorce  Laws '  of  Illinois  made  a  necessity,  o 
meet  the  demands  of  the  wife,*  as  her  only  refuge  from  this  exposure 
to  a  '  false  imprisonment '  for  life  in  an  Insane  Asylum  ? 

"  We  hope  our  readers  will  be  able  to  read  Mrs.  Packard's  book 
for  themselves  ;  especially  her  '  Self-defence  from  the  charge  of  In- 
sanity,' wherein  the  barbarities  of  this  statute  are  made  to  appear  in 
their  true  light,  as  being  merely  a  provision  for  '  Legal  Kidnapping.' '' 

BOSTON,  Feb.  24,  18G5. 


NARRATIVE    OF    EVENTS.  49 

Satisfied  as  I  was  that  there  was  no  legal  redress  for  me  in  the 
laws,  and  no  hope  in  appealing  to  Mr.  Packard's  mercy  or  manliness, 
I  determined  to  do  what  I  could  to  obtain  a  self-reliant  position,  by 
securing  if  possible  the  protection  of  greenbacks,  confident  that  this 
kind  of  protection  is  better  than  none  at  all.     I  concluded,  therefore, 
to  publish  the  first  installment  of  "  The  Great  Drama,"  an  allegorical 
book  I  wrote  while  in  the  Asylum,  consisting  of  twelve  parts.     But 
how  could  this  be  done  in  my  penniless  condition  ?  was   the  great 
question  to  be  practically  settled.     I  accordingly  borrowed  ten  dollars 
of  Mr.  Z.    Hanford,  of  Manteno,  a  noble,  kind  hearted  man,  who 
offered  me  a  home  at  his  house  after  the  trial,  and  went  to  Chicago  to 
consult  the  printers  in  reference  to  the  expense  of  printing  one  thous- 
and copies  of  this  book,  and  get  it  stereotyped.     I  found  it  would  cost 
me  five  hundred  dollars.     I  then  procured  a  few  thousand  tickets  on 
which  was  printed — "  The  bearer  is  entitled  to  the  first  volume  of 
Mrs.  Packard's  book,  entitled  the  Great  Drama.     None  are  genuine 
without  my  signature.     Mrs.  E.  P.  W.  Packard."     And  commenced 
canvassing  for  my  unborn  book,  by  selling  these  tickets  for  fifty  cents 
each,  assuring  the  purchaser  I   would  redeem  the  ticket  in   three 
month's  time,  by  giving  them  a  book  worth  fifty  cents.     When  I  had 
sold  about  eight  or  nine  hundred  tickets,  I  went  to  Chicago  to  set  my 
printers  and  stereotypers,  engravers  and  binders,  at  work  on  my  book. 
But  I  now  met  with  a  new  and  unlocked  for  difficulty,  in  the  sudden 
inflation  of  prices  in  labor  and  material.     My  book  could  not  now  be 
printed  for  less  than  seven  hundred  dollars ;  so  that  my  first  edition 
would  not  pay  for  itself  into  two  hundred  dollars.     As  the  case  now 
was,  instead  of  paying  for  my  book  by  selling  one  thousand  tickets,  I 
must  sell  fourteen  hundred,  besides  superintending  the  various  work- 
men on  the  different  departments  of  my  book.     Nothing  daunted  by 
this  reverse,  instead  of  raising  the  price  of  my  tickets  to  seventy-five 
cents  to  meet  this  unfortunate  turn   in  my  finances,  I  found  I  must 
fall  back  upon  the  only  sure  guarantee  of  success,  namely :  patient 
perseverance.     By  the  practical  use  of  this  great  backbone  of  success, 
perseverance,  I  did  finally  succeed  in  printing  my  book,  and  paying 
the  whole  seven  hundred  dollars  for  it  in  three  months'  time,  by  sell- 
ing four  hundred  tickets  in  advance  on  another  edition.     I  sold  and 
prin'ed,  and  then  printed  and  sold,  and  so  on,  until  I  have  printed 
and  sold  in  all,  twelve  thousand  books  in  fifteen  months'  time.     In- 
cluded in  this  twelve  thousand   are  several  editions  of  smaller  pam- 
phlets, varying  in  price  from  five  to  twenty-five  cents  each. 
4 


50  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

f 

INTERVIEW    WITH    MAYOR    SHERMAN. 

At  this  stage  of  my  Narrative  it  may  not  be  inappropriate  to  nar- 
rate my  interview  with  Mayor  Sherman,  of  Chicago,  since  it  not  only 
discloses  one  of  the  dangers  and  the  difficulties  I  had  to  encounter,  in 
prosecuting  my  enterprise,  but  also  serves  as  another  exemplification 
of  that  marital  power  which  is  legally  guaranteed  to  the  husband, 
leaving  the  wife  utterly  helpless,  and  legally  defenceless. 

I  called  upon  him  at  his  office  in  the  court  house,  and  was  received 
with  respectful,  manly  courtesy.  After  introducing  myself  as  the 
Mrs.  Packard  whose  case  had  recently  acquired  so  much  notoriety 
through  the  Chicago  press,  and  after  briefly  recapitulating  the  main 
facts  of  the  persecution,  I  said  to  him : 

"  Now,  Mr.  Sherman,  as  the  Mayor  of  this  city,  I  appeal  to  you 
for  protection,  while  printing  my  book  in  your  city.  Will  you  pro- 
tect me  here?" 

"  Why,  Mrs.  Packard,  what  protection  do  you  need  ?  What  dan- 
gers do  you  apprehend  ?  " 

"  Sir,  I  am  a  married  woman,  and-  my  husband  is  my  persecutor, 
therefore  I  have  no  legal  protection.  The  husband  is,  you  probably 
know,  the  wife's  only  protector  in  the  law,  therefore,  what  I  want 
now,  Sir,  is  protection  against  my  protector ! " 

"  Is  he  in  this  city  ?  " 

"  No,  Sir ;  but  his  agents  are,  and  he  can  delegate  his  power  to 
them,  and  authorize  them  what  to  do." 

"  What  do  you  fear  he  will  do?" 

"  I  fear  he  may  intercept  the  publication  of  my  book ;  for  you 
probably  know,  Sir,  he  can  come  either  himself,  or  by  proxy,  and, 
with  his  Sheriff,  can  demand  my  mannscript  of  my  printer,  and 
the  printer,  nor  you,  Sir,  have  no  legal  power  to  defend  it.  He 
can  demand  it,  and  burn  it,  and  I  am  helpless  in  legal  self-de- 
fense. For,  Sir,  my  identity  was  legally  lost  in  his,  when  I  married 
him,  leaving  me  nothing  and  nobody  in  law ;  and  besides,  all  I  have 
is  his  in  law,  and  of  course  no  one  can  prosecute  him  for  taking  his 
own  things — my  manuscript  is  his,  and  entirely  at  his  disposal.  I 
have  no  right  in  law  even  to  my  own  thoughts,  either  spoken  or 
written — he  has  even  claimed  the  right  to  superintend  my  written 
thoughts  as  well  as  post  office  rights.  I  can  not  claim  these  rights — 
they  are  mine  only  as  he  grants  me  them  as  his  gifts  to  me." 

"  What  does  your  printer  say  about  it  ?  " 


NARRATIVE    OF    EVENTS.  51 

"  He  says  if  the  Sheriff  comes  to  him  for  the  book  he  shall  tell 
him  he  must  get  the  book  where  he  can  find  it ;  /shall  not  find  it  for 
him.  I  then  said  to  my  printer,  supposing  he  should  come  with 
money,  and  offer  to  buy  the  manuscript,  what  then  ?  "  "I  say,  it 
will  take  more  money  than  there  is  in  Chicago  to  buy  that  manu- 
script of  us,"  replied  my  printer. 

"  I  think  that  sounds  like  protection,  Mrs.  Packard.  I  think  you 
have  nothing  to  fear." 

"  No,  Mr.  Sherman,  I  have  nothing  to  fear  from  the  manliness  of 
my  printer,  for  this  is  my  sole  and  only  protection — but  as  one  man 
to  whom  I  trusted  even  myself,  has  proved  a  traitor  to  his  manli- 
ness, is  there  not  a  possibility  another  may.  I  should  not  object  to 
a  double  guard,  since  the  single  guard  of  manliness  has  not  even 
protected  me  from  imprisonment." 

"  Well,  Mrs.  Packard,  you  shall  have  my  protection ;  and  I  can 
also  assure  you  the  protection  of  my  counsel,  also.  If  you  get  into 
trouble,  apply  to  us,  and  we  will  give  you  all  the  help  the  laws  will 
allow." 

"  I  beg  you  to  consider,  Sir,'  the  laws  do  not  allow  you  to  interfere 
in  such  a  matter.  Are  you  authorized  to  stop  a  man  from  doing  a 
legal  act  ?  " 

"No,  Mrs.  Packard,  I  am  not.  I  see  you  are  without  any  legal 
protection.  Still  I  think  you  are  safe  in  Chicago." 

"  1  hope  it  may  so  prove,  Sir.  But  one  thing  more  I  wish  your 
advice  about ;  how  can  I  keep  the  money  I  get  for  my  book  from 
Mr.  Packard,  the  legal  owner  of  it?" 

"  Keep  it  about  your  person,  so  he  can't  get  it." 
"  But,  Sir ;  Mr.  Packard  has  a  right  to  my  person  in  law,  and 
can  take  it  anywhere,  and  put  it  where  he  pleases  ;  and  if  he  can  get 
my  person,  he  can  take  what  is  on  it." 

"That's  so — you  are  in  a  bad  case,  truly — I  must  say,  I  never  be- 
fore knew  that  any  one  under  our  government  was  so  utterly  defence- 
less as  you  are.  Your  case  ought  to  be  known.  Every  soldier  in 
our  army  ought  to  have  one  of  your  books,  so  as  to  have  our  laws 
changed.'* 

Soldiers  of  our  army !  receive  this  tacit  compliment  from  Mayor 
Sherman.  You  are  henceforth  to  hold  the  reins  of  the  American 
Government.  And  it  is  my  candid  opinion,  they  could  not  be  in  bet- 
ter or  safer  hands.  And  in  your  hands  would  I  most  confidently 
trust  my  sacred  cause — the  cause  of  Married  Woman;  for,  so  far  as 


i)'2  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

my  observation  extends,  no  class  of  American  citizens  are  more 
manly,  than  our  soldiers.  I  am  inclined  to  cherish  the  idea,  that  gal- 
lantry and  patriotism  are  identified ;  at  least,  I  find  they  are  almost 
always  associated  together  in  the  same  manly  heart. 

When  I  had  sold  about  half  of  my  twelve  thousand  books,  I  resolved 
to  visit  my  relatives  in  Massachusetts,  who  had  not  seen  me  for  about 
twelve  years.  I  felt  assured  that  my  dear  father,  and  brothers,  and 
my  kind  step-mother,  were  all  looking  at  the  facts  of  my  persecution 
from  a  wrong  stand-point ;  and  I  determined  to  risk  my  exposure  to 
Mr.  Packard's  persecuting  power  again,  so  far  as  to  let  my  relatives 
see  me  once  for  themselves  ;  hoping  thus  the  scales  might  drop  from 
their  eyes,  so  far  at  least  as  to  protect  me  from  another  kidnapping 
from  Mr.  Packard 

I  arrived  first  at  my  brother  Austin  Ware's  house  in  South  Deer- 
field,  who  lives  about  two  miles  from  Mr.  Severance,  where  were  my 
three  youngest  children,  and  where  Mr.  Packard  spent  one  day  of 
each  week.  I  spent  two  nights  with  him  and  his  new  wife,  who 
both  gave  me  a  very  kind  and  patient  hearing ;  and  the  result  was, 
their  eyes  were  opened  to  see  their  error  in  believing  me  to  be  an 
insane  person,  and  expressed  their  decided  condemnation  of  the 
course  Mr.  Packard  had  pursued  towards  me.  Brother  became  at 
once  my  gallant  and  manly  protector,  and  the  defender  of  my  rights. 
"  Sister,"  said  he,  "  you  have  a  right  to  see  your  children,  and  you 
shall  see  them.  I  will  send  for  them  to-day."  He  accordingly  sent 
a  team  for  them  twice,  but  was  twice  refused  by  Mr.  Packard,  who 
had  heard  of  my  arrival.  Still,  he  assured  me  I  should  see  them  in 
due  time.  He  carried  me  over  to  Sunderland,  about  four  miles  dis- 
tant, to  my  father's  house,  promising  me  I  should  meet  my  dear 
children  there  ;  feeling  confident  that  my  father's  request  joined  with 
his  own,  would  induce  Mr.  Packard  to  let  me  see  once  more  my  own 
dear  offspring.  As  he  expected,  my  father  at  once  espoused  my 
cau.-e,  and  assured  me  I  should  see  my  children;  " for,"  added  he, 
"  Mr.  Packard  knows  it  will  not  do  for  him  to  refuse  me."  He  then 
directed  brother  to  go  directly  for  them  himself,  and  say  to  Mr. 
Packard  :  "  Elizabeth's  father  requests  him  to  let  the  children  have 
an  interview  with  their  mother  at  his  house."  But,  instead  of  the 
children,  came  a  letter  from  brother,  saying,  that  Mr.  Packard  has 
refused,  in  the  most  decided  terms,  to  let  sister  see  her  own  children; 
or,  to  use  his  own  language,  he  said,  "  I  came  from  Illinois  to  Massa- 
chusets  to  protect  the  children  from  their  mother,  and  I  shall  do  it,  in 


NARATIVE   OF   EVENTS.  53 

spite  of  you,  or  father  Ware,  or  any  one  else ! "  Brother  add?,  "  the 
mystery  of  this  dark  case  is  now  solved,  in  my  mind,  completely. 
Mr.  Packard  is  a  monomaniac  on  this  subject ;  there  is  no  more  rea- 
son in  his  treatment  of  sister,  than  in  a  brute." 

These  facts  of  his  refusal  to  let  me  see  my  children,  were  soon  in  cir- 
culation in  the  two  adjacent  villages  of  Sunderland  and  South  Deerfield, 
and  a  strongly  indignant  feeling  was  manifested  against  Mr.  Packard's 
defiant  and  unreasonable  position ;  and  he,  becoming  aware  of  the  dan- 
ger to  his  interests  which  a  conflict  with  this  tide  of  public  sentiment 
might  occasion,  seemed  forced,  by  this  pressure  of  public  opinion,  to  suc- 
cumb ;  for,  on  the  following  Monday  morning,  (this  was  on  Saturday,  P. 
M.,)  he  brought  all  of  my  three  children  to  my  father's  house,  with  him- 
self and  Mrs.  Severance,  as  their  body-guard,  and  with  both  as  my  wit- 
nesses, I  was  allowed  to  talk  with  them  an  hour  or  two.  He  refused 
me  an  interview  with  them  alone  in  my  room. 

I  remained  at  my  father's  house  a  few  days  only,  knewing  that 
even  in  Massachusetts  the  laws  did  not  protect  me  from  another  sim- 
ilar outrage,  if  Mr.  Packard  could  procure  the  certificate  of  two  phy- 
sicians that  I  was  insane ;  for,  with  these  alone,  without  any  chance 
at  self-defense,  he  could  force  me  into  some  of  the  Private  Asylums 
here,  as  he  did  into  a  State  Asylum  in  Illinois. 

I  knew  that,  as  I  was  Mr.  Packard's  wife,  neither  my  brother  nor 
father  could  be  my  legal  protectors  in  such  an  event,  as  they  could 
command  no  influence  in  my  defense,  except  that  of  public  sentiment 
or  mob-law.  I  therefore  felt  forced  to  leave  my  father's  house  in 
self-defence,  to  seek  some  protection  of  the  Legislature  of  Massachu- 
setts, by  petitioning  them  for  a  change  in  their  laws  on  the  mode 
of  commitment  into  Insane  Asylums.  As  a  preparatory  step,  I  en- 
deavored to  get  up  an  agitation  on  the  subject,  by  printing  and  sell- 
ing about  six  thousand  books  relative  to  the  subject ;  and  then,  trust- 
ing to  this  enlightened  public  sentiment  to  back  up  the  movement,  I 
petitioned  Massachusetts  Legislature  to  make  the  needed  change  in 
the  laws.  Hon.  S.  E.  Sewall,  of  Boston,  drafted  the  Petition,  and  I 
circulated  it,  and  obtained  between  one  and  two  hundred  names  of 
men  of  the  first  standing  and  influence  in  Boston,  such  as  the  Alder- 
men, the  Common  Council,  the  High  Sheriff,  and  several  other  City 
Officers;  and  besides,  Judges,  Lawyers,  Editors,  Bank  Directors, 
Physicians,  &c.  Mr.  Sewall  presented  this  petition  to  the  Legisla- 
ture, and  they  referred  it  to  a  committee,  and  this  committee  had 
seven  special  meetings  on  the  subject.  I  was  invited  to  meet  with 


54  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

thorn  each  time,  and  did  so,  as  were  also  Mrs.  Phelps  and  Mrs. 
Denny,  two  ladies  of  Boston  who  had  suffered  a  term  of  false  impris- 
onment in  a  private  institution  at  Sommersville,  without  any  previous 
trial.  Hon.  S.  E.  Sewall  and  Mr.  Wendell  Phillips  both  made  a  plea  in 
its  behalf  before  this  committee,  and  the  gallantry  and  manliness  of  this 
committee  allowed  me  a  hearing  of  several  hour's  time  in  all,  besides 
allowing  me  to  present  the  two  following  Bills,  which  they  afterwards 
requested  a  copy  of  in  writing.  The  three  Superintendents,  Dr. 
Walker,  Dr.  Jarvis,  and  Dr.  Tyler,  represented  the  opposition.  And 
my  reply  to  Dr.  Walker  constituted  the  preamble  to  my  bills. 

MRS.  PACKARD'S  BILLS. 

PREAMBLE. 

Gentlemen  of  the   Committee : 

I  feel  it  my  duty  to  say  one  word  in  defence  of  the  Petitioners,  in 
reply  to  Dr.  Walker's  statement,  that,  "in  his  opinion,  nineteen 
twentieths  of  the  petitioners  did  not  know  nor  care  what  they  peti- 
tioned for,  and  that  they  signed  it  out  of  compliment  to  the  lady." 

I  differ  from  Dr.  Walker  in  opinion  on  this  point,  for  this  reason. 
I  obtained  these  names  by  my  own  individual  appeals,  except  from 
most  of  the  members  of  the  "  Common  Council,"  who  signed  it  during 
an  evening  session,  by  its  being  passed  around  for  their  names.  I 
witnessed  their  signing,  and  saw  them  read  it,  carefully,  before  sign- 
ing it.  And  I  think  they  signed  it  intelligently,  and  from  a  desire  for 
safer  legislation.  The  others  I  know  signed  intelligently,  and  for  this 
reason.  And  I  could  easily  have  got  one  thousand  more  names,  had 
it  been  necessary  ;  for,  in  gelling  my  books,  I  have  conversed  with 
many  thousand  men  on  this  subject,  and  among  them  all,  I  have  only 
found  one  man  who  defends  the  present  mode  of  commitment,  by 
leaving  it  all  to  the  physicians. 

I  spent  a  day  in  the  Custom  House,  and  a  day  and  a  half  in  the 
Navy  Yard,  and  these  men,  like  all  others,  defend  our  movement. 
I  have  sold  one  hundred  and  thirty-nine  books  in  the  Navy  Yard 
within  the  last  day  and  a  half,  by  conversing  personally  with  gentle- 
men hi  their  counting-rooms  on  this  subject,  and  they  are  carefully 
watching  your  decision  on  this  question. 

Now,  from  this  stand-point  of  extensive  observation,  added  to  my 
own  personal  experience,  I  feel  fully  confident  these  two  Bills  are 
needed  to  meet  the  public  demand  at  this  crisis. 


NARRATIVE    OF   EVFNTS.  55 

BILL  No.  1. 

No  person  shall  be  regarded  or  treated  as  an  Insane  person,  or  a 
Monomaniac,  simply  for  the  expression  f>f  opinions,  no  matter  how 
absurd  these  opinions  may  appear  to  others. 

REASONS. 

1st  This  Law  is  needed  for  the  personal  safety  of  Reformers.  "We 
are  living  in  a  Progressive  Age.  Everything  is  in  a  state  of  trans- 
mutation, and,  as  our  laws  now  are,  the  Reformer,  the  Pioneer,  the 
Originator  of  any  new  idea  is  liable  to  be  treated  as  a  Monomaniac, 
with  imprisonment. 

2d.  It  is  a  Grime  against  human  progress  to  allow  Reformers  to  be 
treated  as  Monomaniacs ;  for,  who  will  dare  to  be  true  to  the  inspira- 
tions of  the  divinity  within  them,  if  the  Pioneers  of  truth  are  thus 
liable  to  lose  their  personal  liberty  for  life  by  so  doing  ? 

3d.  It  is  Treason  against  the  principles  of  our  Government  to 
treat  opinions  as  Insanity,  and  to  imprison  for  it,  as  our  present  laws 
allow. 

4th.  There  always  are  those  in  every  age  who  are  opposed  to  every 
thing  new,  and  if  allowed,  will  persecute  Reformers  with  the  stigma 
of  Insanity.  This  has  been  the  fate  of  all  Reformers,  from  the  days 
of  Christ — the  Great  Reformer — until  the  present  age. 

5th.  Our  Government,  of  all  others,  ought  especially  to  guard,  by 
legislation,  the  vital  principle  on  which  it  is  based,  namely :  indi- 
viduality, which  guarantees  an  individual  right  of  opinion  to  all 
persons.  » 

Therefore,  gentlemen,  protect  your  thinkers!  by  a  law,  against  the 
charge  of  Monomania,  and  posterity  shall  bless  our  government,  as  a 
model  government,  and  Massachusetts  as  the  Pioneer  State,  in  thus 
protecting  individuality  as  the  vital  principle  on  which  the  highest  de- 
velopment of  humanity  rests. 

BILL  No.  2. 

No  person  shall  be  imprisoned,  and  treated  as  an  insane  person, 
except  for  irregularities  of  conduct,  such  as  indicate  that  the  indi- 
vidual is  so  lost  to  reason,  as  to  render  him  an  unaccountable  moral 
agent. 

REASONS. 

Multitudes  are  now  imprisoned,  without  the  least  evidence  that 
reason  is  dethroned,  as  indicated  by  this  test.  And  I  am  a  repre- 


56  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

santative  of  this  class  of  prisoners ;  for,  when  Dr.  McFarland  was 
driven  to  give  his  reasons  for  regarding  me  as  insane,  on  this  ba^is, 
the  only  reason  which  he  could  name,  after  closely  inspecting  my 
conduct  for  three  years,  was,  that  I  once  "fell  down  stairs  !  " 

I  do  insist  upon  it,  gentlemen,  that  no  person  should  be  impris- 
oned without  a  just  cause  ;  for  personal  liberty  is  the  most  blessed 
boon  of  our  existence,  and  ought  therefore  to  be  reasonably  guarded 
as  an  inalienable  right.  But  it  is  not  reasonably  protected  under  our 
present  legislation,  while  it  allows  the  simple  opinion  of  two  doctors 
to  imprison  a  person  for  life,  without  one  proof  in  the  conduct  of  the 
accused,  that  he  is  an  unaccountable  moral  agent.  "We  do  not  hang 
a  person  on  the  simple  opinion  that  he  is  a  murderer,  but  proof  is 
required  from  the  accused's  own  actions,  that  he  is  guilty'of  the  charge 
which  forfeits  his  life.  So  the  charge  which  forfeits  our  personal  lib- 
erty ought  to  be  proved  from  the  individual's  own  conduct,  before  im- 
prisonment. 

So  long  as  insanity  is  treated  as  a  crime,  instead  of  a  misfortune,  as 
o  ir  present  system  practically  does  so  treat  it,  the  protection  of  our 
individual  liberty  imperatively  demands  such  an  enactment.  Many 
contend  that  every  person  is  insane  on  some  point.  On  this  ground, 
ail  persons  are  liable  to  be  legally  imprisoned,  under  our  present 
system ;  for  intelligent  physicians  are  everywhere  to  be  found,  who 
will  not  scruple  to  give  a  certificate  that  an  individual  is  a  Monoma- 
niac on  that  point  where  he  differs  from  him  in  opinion!  This  Mo- 
nomania in  many  instances  is  not  Insanity,  but  individuality,  which  is 
the  highest  natural  development  of  a  human  being. 

•Gentlemen,  I  know,  and  have  felt,  the  horrors — the  untold  soul 
agonies — attendant  on  such  a  persecution.  Therefore,  as  Philanthrox 
pists,  I  beg  of  you  to  guard  your  own  liberties,  and  those  of  your 
countrymen,  by  recommending  the  adoption  of  these  two  Bills  as  an 
imperative  necessity. 

The  above  Bills  were  presented  to  the  Committee  on  the  Commit- 
ment of  the  Insane,  in  Boston  State  House,  March  29,  1865,  by 

MRS.  E.  P.  W.  PACKARD. 

The  result  was,  the  petition  triumphed,  by  so  changing  the  mode 

of  commitment,  that,  instead  of  the  husband  being  allowed  to  enter 

his  wife  at  his  simple  request,  added  to  the  certificate  of  two  physi- 

C     cians,  he  must  now  get  ten  of  her  nearest  relatives  to  join  with  him  in 

,^_  this  request ;  and  the  person  committed,  instead  of  not  being  allowed 


NARRATIVE    OP    EVENTS.  57 

to  communicate  by  writing  to  any  one  outside  of  the  Institution,  ex- 
cept under  the  censorship  of  the  Superintendent,  can  now  send  a  let- 
ter to  each  of  these  ten  relatives,  and  to  any  other  two  persons  whom 
the  person  committed  shall  designate.  This  the  Superintendent  is 
required  to  do  within  two  days  from  the  time  of  commitment. 

This  Law  is  found  in  Chapter  268,  Section  2,  of  the  General 
Laws  of  Massachusetts.  I  regard  my  personal  liberty  in  Massachu- 
setts now  as  not  absolutely  in  the  power  of  my  husband  ;  as  my  family 
friends  must  now  co-operate  in  order  to  make  my  commitment  legal. 
And  since  my  family  relatives  are  now  fully  satisfied  of  my  sanity, 
after  having  seen  me  for  themselves,  I  feel  now  comparatively  safe, 
while  in  Massachusetts.  I  therefore  returned  to  my  father's  house  in 
Sunderland,  and  finding  both  of  my  dear  parents  feeble,  and  in  need 
of  some  one  to  care  for  them,  and  finding  myself  in  need  of  a  season 
of  rest  and  quiet,  I  accepted  their  kind  invitation  to  make  their  house 
my  home  for  the  present.  At  this  point  my  father  indicated  his  true 
position  in  relation  to  my  interests,  by  his  self-moved  efforts  in  my 
behalf,  in  writing  and  sending  the  following  letter  to  Mr.  Packard.* 

COPT    </F   FATHER    WARE'S     LETTER   TO    MR.    PACKARD. 

"  Sunderland,  Sept.  2,  1865. 

"  REV.  SIR  :  I  think  the  time  has  fully  come  for  you  to  give  up  to 
Elizabeth  her  clothes.  Whatever  reason  might  have  existed  to  jus- 
tify you  in  retaining  them,  has,  in  process  of  time,  entirely  vanished. 
There  is  not  a  shadow  of  excuse  for  retaining  them.  It  is  my  pre- 
sumption there  is  not  an  individual  in  this  town  who  woirld  justify 
you  in  retaining  them  a  single  day.  Elizabeth  is  about  to  make  a 
home  at  my  house,  and  I  must  be  her  protector.  She  is  very  desti- 
tute of  clothing,  and  greatly  needs  all  those  articles  which  are  hers. 
I  hope  to  hear  from  you  soon,  before  I  shall  be  constrained  to  take 
another  step.  Yours,  Respectfully, 

"REV.  T.  PACKARD.  SAMUEL  WARE." 

The  result  of  this  letter  was,  that  in  about  twenty-four  hours  after 
the  letter  was  delivered,  Mr.  Packard  brought  the  greater  part  of  my 
wardrobe  and  delivered  it  into  the  hands  of  my  father. 

In  a  few  weeks  after  this  event,  Mr.  Packard's  place  in  the  pulpit 
in  Sunderland  was  filled  by  a  candidate  for  settlement,  and  he  left  the 
place.  The  reasons  why  he  thus  left  his  ministerial  charge  in  this 
place,  cannot  perhaps  be  more  summarily  given  than  by  transcribing 

*  See  Appendix,  p.  138. 


58  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

the  following  letter  which  father  got  me  to  write  for  him,  in  answer 
to  Rev.  Dr.  Pomeroy's  letter,  inquiring  of  my  father  why  Mr.  Pack- 
ard had  left  Sunderland. 

LETTER   TO    REV.    DR.    POMEROT. 

Sunderland,  Oct.  28,  1865. 

DR.  POMEROT,  DEAR  SIR  :  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  my  dear  father 
feels  too  weak  to  reply  to  your  kind  and  affectionate  letter  of  the 
twenty-third  instant,  and  therefore  I  cheerfully  consent  to  reply  to  it 
myself. 

As  to  the  subject  of  your  letter,  it  is  as  you  intimated.  We  have 
every  reason  to  believe  that  father's  defence  of  me,  has  been  the  indi- 
rect cause  of  Mr.  Packard's  leaving  Sunderland  ;  although  we  knew 
nothing  of  the  matter  until  he  left,  and  a  candidate  filled  his  place. 
Neither  father,  mother,  nor  I,  have  used  any  direct  influence  to  under- 
mine the  confidence  of  this  people  in  Mr.  Packard.  But  where  this 
simple  fact,  that  I  have  been  imprisoned  three  years,  is  known,  to 
have  become  a  demonstrated  truth,  by  the  decision'  of  a  jury,  after  a 
thorough  legal  investigation  of  five  day's  trial,  it  is  found  to  be  rather 
of  an  unfortunate  truth  for  the  public  sentiment  of  the  present  age  to 
grapple  with.  And  Mr.  Packard  and  his  persecuting  party  may  yet 
find  I  uttered  no  fictitious  sentiment,  when  I  remarked  to  Dr.  Me 
Farland  in  the  Asylum,  that  I  shall  yet  live  down  this  slander  of  In- 
sanity, and  also  live  down  my  persecutors.  And  Mr.  Packard  is  af- 
fording me  every  facility  for  so  doing,  by  his  continuing  strenuously 
to  insist  upon  it,  that  I  am,  now,  just  as  insane  as  when  he  incarcer- 
ated me  in  Jacksonville  Insane  Asylum.  And  he  still  insists  upon 
it,  that  an  Asylum  Prison  is  the  only  suitable  place  for  me  to  spend 
the  residue  of  my  earth-life  in.  But,  fortunately  for  me,  my  friends 
judge  differently  upon  seeing  me  for  themselves.  Especially  fortun- 
ate is  it  for  me,  that  my  own  dear  father  feels  confident  that  his  house 
is  a  more  suitable  home  for  me,  notwithstanding  the  assertion  of  Mrs. 
Dickinson,  (the  widow  with  whom  Mr.  Packard  boards,)  that,  "  it  is 
such  a  pity  that  Mrs.  Packard  should  come  to  Sunderland,  where  Mr. 
Packard  preaches  ! "  Mr.  Johnson  replied  in  answer  to  this  remark, 
that  he  thought  Mrs.  Packard  had  a  right  to  come  to  her  father's 
house  for  protection,  and  also  that  her  father  had  an  equal  right  to 
extend  protection  to  his  only  daughter,  when  thrown  adrift  and  pen- 
nyless  upon  the  cold  world  without  a  place  to  shelter  her  defenceless 
head. 


NAUUATIVE    OF   EVENTS.  59 

Mr.  Packard  has  withdrawn  all  intercourse  with  us  all  since  he 
was  called  upon  by  father  to  return  my  wardrobe  to  me.  Would  that 
Mr.  Packard's  eyes  might  be  opened-  to  see  what  he  is  doing,  and 
repent,  so  that  I  might  be  allowed  to  extend  lo  him  the  forgiveness 
my  heart  longs  to  bestow,  upon  this  gospel  condition. 

Thankful  for  all  the  kindness  and  sympathy  you  have  bestowed 
upon  my  father  and  mother,  as  well  as  myself,  I  subscribe  myself 
your  true  friend,  .  E.  P.  W.  PACKARD. 

P.  S.  Father  and  mother  both  approve  of  the  above,  which  I  have 
written  at  father's  urgent  request.  E.  P.  W.  P. 

Fidelity  to  the  truth  requires  me  to  add  one  more  melancholy  fact, 
in  order  to  make  this  narrative  of  events  complete,  and  that  is,  that 
Mr.  Packard  has  made  merchandise  of  this  stigma  of  Insanity  he  has 
branded  me  with,  and  used  it  as  a  lucrative  source  of  gain  to  himself, 
in  the  following  manner.  He  has  made  most  pathetic  appeals  to 
the  sympathies  of  the  public  for  their  charities  to  be  bestowed  upon 
him,  on  the  plea  of  his  great  misfortune  in  having  an  insane  wife  to 
support — one  who  was  incapable  of  taking  care  of  herself  or  her  six 
children — and  on  this  false  premise  he  has  based  a  most  pathetic  argu- 
ment and  appeal  to  their  sympathies  for  pecuniary  help,  in  the  form  of 
boxes  of  clothing  for  himself  and  his  destitute  and  defenceless  child- 
ren. These  appeals  have  been  most  generously  responded  to  from 
the  American  Home  Missionary  Society.  So  that  when  I  returned 
to  my  home  from  the  Asylum,  I  counted  twelve  boxes  of  such  clothing, 
some  of  which  were  very  large,  containing  the  spoils  he  had  thus  pur- 
loined from  this  benevolent  society,  by  entirely  false  representations. 

My  family  were  not  destitute.  But  on  the  contrary,  were  abund- 
antly supplied  with  a  supernumerary  amount  of  such  missionary 
gifts,  which  had  been  lavished,  upon  us,  at  his  request,  before  I  was 
imprisoned.  I  had  often  said  to  him,  that  I  and  my  children  had 
already  more  than  a  supply  for  our  wants  until  they  were  grown  up. 
Now,  what  could  he  do  with  twelve  more  such  boxes?  My  son, 
I.-aac,  now  hi  Chicago,  and  twenty-one  years  of  age,  told  me  he  had 
counted  fifty  new  vests  in  one  pile,  and  he  had  as  many  pants  and 
coats,  and  overcoats,  and  almost  every  thing  else,  of  men's  wearing 
apparel,  in  like  ratio.  He  said  I  had  a  pile  of  dress  patterns  accu- 
mulated from  these  boxes,  to  one  yard  in  depth  in  one  solid  pile. 
And  this  was  only  one  sample  of  all  kinds  of  ladies'  apparel  which  he  % 
had  thus  accumulated,  by  liis  cunningly  dervised  begging  system. 


60  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

Still,  to  this,  very  date,  he  is  pleading  want  and  destitution  as  a 
basis  for  more  charities  of  like  kind.  He  has  even  so  moved  the 
benevolent  sympathies  of  the  widow  Dickinson  with  whom  he  boarded, 
as  to  make  her  feel  that  he  was  an  hcnest  claimant  upon  their  char- 
ides  in  this  line,  on  the  ground  of  poverty  and  destitution.  She 
accordingly  started  a  subscription  to  procure  him  a  suit  of  clothes,  on 
the  ground  of  his  extreme  destitution,  and  finally  succeeded  in  beg- 
ging a  subscription  of  one  hundred  and  thirteen  dollars  for  his  ben- 
efit, and  presented  it  to  him  as  a  token  of  sympathy  and  regard. 

Another  fact,  he  has  put  his  property  out  of  his  hands,  so  that  he 
can  say  he  has  nothing.  And  should  I  sue  him  for  my  maintainance, 
I  could  get  nothing.  His  rich  brother-in-law,  George  Hastings, 
supports  the  three  youngest  children,  mostly,  thus  leaving  scarcely  no 
claimants  upon  his  own  purse,  except  his  own  personal  wants.  His 
wife  and  six  children  he  has  so  disposed  of,  as  to  be  almost  entirely 
independent  of  him  of  any  support.  And  it  is  my  honest  opinion, 
that  had  Sunderland  people  known  of  these  facts  in  his  financial  mat- 
ters, they  would  not  have  presented  him  with  one  hundred  and  thir- 
teen dollars,  as  a  token  of  their  sympathy  and  esteem.  Still,  looking 
at  the  subject  from  their  stand-point,  J  have  no  doubt  they  acted  con- 
scientiously in  this  matter.  I  have  never  deemed  it  my  duty  to  en- 
lighten them  on  this  subject,  except  as  the  truth  is  sought  for  from 
me,  in  a  few  individual  isolated  cases.  I  do  not  mingle  with  the  peo- 
ple scarcely  at  all,  and  have  sold  none  of  my  books  among  them. 
Self-defence  does  not  require  me  to  seek  the  protection  of  enlight- 
ened public  sentiment  now  that  the  laws  protect  iny  personal  liberty, 
while  in  Massachusetts. 

But  fidelity  to  the  cause  of  humanity,  especially  the  cause  of  "  Mar- 
ried Woman,"  requires  me  to  make  public  the  facts  of  this  notorious 
persecution,  in  order  to  have  her  true  legal  position  known  and  fully 
apprehended.  And  since  my  case  is  a  practical  illustration  of  what 
the  law  is  on  this  subject — showing  how  entirely  destitute  she  is  of 
any  legal  protection,  except  what  the  will  and  wishes  of  her  husband 
secures  to  her — and  also  demonstrates  the  fact,  that  the  common-law, 
everywhere,  in  relation  to  married  woman,  not  only  gravitates  to- 
wards an  absolute  despotism,  but  even  protects  and  sustains  and  de- 
fends a  despotism  of  the  most  arbitrary  and  absolute  kind.  There- 
fore, in  order  to  have  her  social  position  changed  legally,  the  need 
of  this  change  must  first  be  seen  and  appreciated  by  the  common 
people — the  law-makers  of  this  Republic.  And  this  need  or  neces- 


MISCELLANEOUS    QUESTIONS    ANSWERED.  Gl 

sitj  for  a  revolution  on  this  subject  can  be  made  to  appear  in  no 
more  direct  manner,  than  by  a  practical  ca-e,  such  as  my  own  furn- 
ishes. As  the  need  of  a  revolution  of  the  law  in  relation  to  negro 
servitude  was  made  to  appear,  by  the  practical  exhibition  of  the  Slave 
Code  in  "  Uncle  Tom's "  experience,  showing  that  all  slaves  were 
liable  to  suffer  to  the  extent  he  did ;  so  my  experience,  although  like 
"  Uncle  Tom's,"  an  extreme  case,  shows  how  all  married  women  are 
liable  to  suffer  to  the  same  extent  that  I  have.  Now  justice  to  hu- 
manity claims  that  such  liabilities  should  not  exist  in  any  Christian 
government.  The  laws  should  be  so  changed  that  such  another  out- 
ra^e  could  not  possibly  take  place  und^r  the  sanction  of  the  laws  of  a 
Christian  government. 

As  Uncle  Tom's  case  aroused  the  indignation  of  the  people  against 
the  slave  code,  so  my  case,  so  far  as  it  is  known,  arouses  this  same 
feeling  of  indignation  against  tho-e  laws  which  protect  married 
servitude.  Married  woman  needs  legal  emancipation  from  married 
servitude,1  as  much  as  the  slave  needed  legal  emancipation  from  his 
servitude. 

Again,  all  slaves  did  not  suffer  under  negro  slavery,  neither  do  all 
married  women  suffer  from  this  legalized  servitude.  Still,  the  prin- 
ciple of  slavery  is  wrong,  and  the  principle  of  emancipation  is  right, 
and  the  laws  ought  so  to  regard  it.  And  this  married  servitude  ex- 
poses the  wife  to  as  great  suffering  a-*  negro  servitude  did.  It  is  my 
candid  opinion,  that  no  Southern  slave  ever  suffered  more  spiritual 
agony  than  I  have  suffered ;  as  I  am  more  developed  in  my  moral 
and  spiritual  nature  than  they  are,  therefore  more  capable  of  suffer- 
ing. I  think  no  slave  mother  ever  endured  more  keen  anguish  by 
being  deprived  of  her  own  offspring  than  I  have  in  being  legally  sep- 
arated from  mine.  God  grant,  that  married  woman's  emancipation 
may  quickly  follow  in  the  wake  of  negro  emancipation  ! 

MISCELLANEOUS  QUESTIONS  ANSWERED. 

In  canvassing  for  my  books  various  important  questions  have  been 
propounded  to  me,  which  the  preceding  Narrative  of  Events  does  not 
fully  answer. 

FIRST  QUESTION. 

"  Why,  Mrs.  Packard,  do  you  not  get  a  divorce  ?  " 
Because,  in  the  first  place,  I  do  not  want  to  be  a  divorced  woman ; 
but,  on  the  contrary,  I  wish  to  be  a  married  woman,  and  have  my 


62  MARITAL    POWKR    EXEMPLIFIED. 

husband  for  my  protector;  for  I  do  not  like  this  being  divorced  from 
my  own  home.  I  want  a  home  to  live  in,  and  1  prefer  the  one  I 
have  labored  twenty  one  years  myself  to  procure,  and  furnished  to 
my  own  taste  and  mind.  Neither  do  I  like  this  being  divorced  from 
my  own  children.  I  want  to  live  with  my  dear  children,  whom  I 
have  borne  and  nursed,  reared  and  educated,  almost  entirely  by  my 
own  unwearied  indefatigable  exeriions ;  and  I  love  them,  with  all  the 
fondness  of  a  mother's  undying  love,  and  no  place  is  home  to  me  in 
this  wide  world  without  them.  And  again,  I  have  done  nothing  to 
deserve  this  exclusion  from  the  rights  and  privileges  of  my  own  dear 
home ;  but  on  the  contrary,  my  untiring  fidelity  to  the  best  interests 
of  my  family  for  twenty-one  years  of  healthful,  constant  service,  hav- 
ing never  been  sick  during  this  time  so  as  to  require  five  dollars  doc- 
tor's bill  to  be  paid  for  me  or  my  six  children,  and  having  done  all 
the  housework,  sewing,  nursing,  and  so  forth,  of  my  entire  family  for 
twenty-one  years,  with  no  hired  girl  help,  except  for  only  nine  months, 
during  all  this  long  period  of  constant  toil  and  labor.  I  say,  this  self- 
sacriiizing  devotion  to  the  best  interests  of  my  family  and  home,  de- 
serve and  claim  a  right  to  be  protected  in  it,  at  least,  so  long  as  my 
good  conduct  continues,  instead  of  being  divorced  from  it,  against  my 
own  will  or  consent.  In  short,  what  I  want  is,  protection  in  my  home, 
instead  of  a  divorce  from  it.  I  do  not  wish  to  drive  Mr.  Packard 
from  his  own  home,  and  exclude  him  from  all  its  rights  and  privi- 
leges— neither  do  I  want  he  should  treat  me  in  this  manner,  espe- 
cially so  long  as  he  himself  claims  that  I  have  always  been  a  most 
kind,  patient,  devoted  wife  and  mother.  He  even  claims  as  his  justi- 
fication of  his  course,  that  I  am  so  good  a  woman,  and  he  loves  me  so 
well,  that  he  wants  to  save  me  from  fatal  errors  ! 

It  is  my  opinions — my  religious  opinions — and  those  alone,  he 
makes  an  'occasion  for  treating  me  as  he  has.  He  frankly  owned  to 
me,  that  he  was  putting  me  into  an  Asylum  so  that  my  reputation  for 
being  an  insane  person  might  destroy  the  influence  of  my  religious 
opinions ;  and  I  see  in  one  letter  which  he  wrote  to  my  father,  he 
mentions  this  as  the  chief  evidence  of  my  insanity.  He  writes :  "  Her 
many  excellences  and  past  services  I  highly  appreciate ;  but  she  says 
she  has  widely  departed  from,  or  progressed  beyond,  her  former  re- 
ligious views  and  sentiments — and  I  think  it  is  too  true  ! !"  Here  is 
all  the  insanity  he  claims,  or  has  attempted  to  prove. 

Now  comes  the  question :  Is  this  a  crime  for  which  I  ought  to  be 
divorced  from  all  the  comforts  and  privileges  of  my  own  dear  home  ? 


MISCELLANEOUS    QUESTIONS    ANSWERED.  6S 

To  do  this, — that  is,  to  get  a  divorce — would  it  not  be  becoming  an 
accomplice  in  crime,  by  doing  the  very  deed  which  he  is  so  desirous 
of  having  done,  namely :  to  remove  me  from  my  family,  for  fear 
of  the  contaminating  influence  of  my  new  views  ?  Has  a  married  wo- 
man no  rights  at  all  ?  Can  she  not  even  think  her  own  thoughts,  and 
speak  her  own  words,  unless  her  thoughts  and  expressions  harmonize 
with  those  of  her  husband  ?  I  think  it  is  high  time  the  merits  of  this 
question  should  be  practically  tested,  on  a  proper  basis,  the  basis 
of  truth — of  facts.  And  the  fact,  that  I  have  been  not  only  prac- 
tically divorced  from  my  own  home  and  children,  but  also  incar- 
cerated for  three  years  in  a  prison,  simply  for  my  religious  belief,  by 
the  arbitrary  will  of  my  husband,  ought  to  raise  the  question,  as  to 
what  are  the  married  woman's  rights,  and  what  is  her  protection  ? 
And  it  is  to  this  practical  issue  I  have  ever  striven  to  force  this  ques- 
tion. And  this  issue  I  felt  might  be  reached  more  directly  and 
promptly  by  the  public  mind,  by  laying  the  necessities  of  the  case 
before  the  community,  and  by  a  direct  appeal  to  them  for  personal 
protection — instead  of  getting  a  divorce  for  my  protection.  I  know 
that  by  so  doing,  I  have  run  a  great  risk  of  losing  my  liberty  again. 
Still,  I  felt  that  the  great  cause  of  married  woman's  rights  might  be 
promoted  by  this  agitation  ;  and  so  far  as  my  own  feelings  were  con- 
cerned, I  felt  willing  to  suffer  even  another  martyrdom  in  this  cause, 
if  so  be,  my  sisters  in  the  bonds  of  marital  power  might  be  benefited 
thereby. 

I  want  and  seek  protection,  as  a  married  woman — not  divorce,  in 
order  to  escape  the  abuses  of  marital  power — that  is,  I  want  pro- 
tection from  the  abuse  of  marital  power,  not  a  divorce  from  it.  I  can 
live  in  my  home  with  my  husband,  if  he  will  only  let  me  do  so  ;  but 
he  will  not  suffer  it,  unless  I  recant  my  religious  belief.  Cannot  re- 
ligious bigotry  under  such  manifestations,  receive  some  check  under 
our  government,  which  is  professedly  based  on  the  very  principle  of  re- 
ligious tolerance  to  all  ?  Cannot  there  be  laws  enacted  by  which  a 
married  woman  can  stand  on  the  same  platform  as  a  married  man — 
that  is,  have  an  equal  right,  at  least,  to  the  protection  of  her  inalien- 
able rights  ?  And  is  not  this  our  petition  for  protection  founded  in 
justice  and  humanity? 

Is  it  just  to  leave  the  weakest  and  most  defenceless  of  these  two 
parties  wholly  without  the  shelter  of  law  to  shield  her,  while  the 
strongest  and  most  independent  has  all  the  aid  of  the  legal  arm  to 
strengthen  his  own  ?  Nay,  verily,  it  is  not  right  or  manly  for  our 


\ 

64  MARITAL    POWKB    iiXiiiHJJLii-'l.-.l>. 

man  government  thus  to  usurp  the  whole  legal  power  of  self-protec- 
tion and  defence,  and  leave  confiding,  trusting  woman  wholly  at 
the  meivy  of  this  gigantic  power.  For  perverted  men  will  use  this 
absolute  power  to  abuse  the  defenceless,  rather  than  protect  them; 
and  abuse  of  power  inevitably  leads  to  the  contempt  of  its  victim.  A 
man  who  can  trample  on  all  the  inalienable  rights  of  his  wife,  will, 
by  so  doing,  come  to  despise  her  as  an  inevitable  consequence  of 
wrong  doing.  Woman,  too,  is  a  more  spiritual  being  than  a  man, 
and  is  therefore  a  more  sensitive  being,  and  a  more  patient  sufferer 
than  a  man ;  therefore  she,  more  than  any  other  being,  needs  pro- 
tection, and  she  should  find  it  in  that  government  she  has  sacrificed 
so  much  to  uphold  and  sustain. 

Again,  I  do  not  believe  in  the  divorce  principle.  I  say  it  is  a  "  Se- 
cession "  principle.  It  undermines  the  very  vital  principle  of  our 
Union,  and  saps  the  very  foundation  of  our  social  and  civil  obliga- 
tions. For  example.  Suppose  the  small,  weak  and  comparatively 
feeble  States  in  our  Union  were  not  protected  by  the  Government  in 
any  of  their  State  rights,  while  the  large,  strong,  and  powerful  ones. 
Lad  their  Slate  rights  fully  guaranteed  and  secured  to  them.  Would 
not  this  state  of  the  Union  endanger  the  rights  of  the  defenceless 
ones  ?  and  endanger  the  Union  also?  Could  these  defenceless  Spates 
resort  to  any  other  means  of  self-defence  from  the  usurpation  of  the 
powerful  States  than  that  of  secession  ?  But  secession  is  death  to 
the  Union — death  to  the  principles  of  love  and  harmony  which  ought 
to  bind  the  parts  in  one  sacred  whole. 

Now,  I  claim  that  the  Marriage  Union  rests  on  just  this  principle, 
as  our  laws  now  stand.  The  woman  has  no  alternative  of  n^Ort 
from  any  kind  of  abuse  from  her  partner,  but  divorce,  or  secession 
from  the  Marriage  Union.  Now  the  weak  States  have  rights  as  well 
as  the  strong  ones,  and  it  is  the  rights  of  the  weak,  which  the  govern- 
ment are  especially  bound  to  respect  and  defend,  to  prevent  usurpa- 
tion and  its  legitimate  issue,  secession  from  the  Union.  What  we 
want  of  our  government  is  to  prevent  this  usurpation,  by  protecting 
us  equally  with  our  partners,  so  that  we  shall  not  need  a  divorce  n.  all. 

By  equality  of  rights,  I  do  not  mean  that  woman's  rights  and  man's 
rights  are  one  and  the  same.  By  no  means ;  we  do  not  want  the 
man's  rights,  but  simply  our  own,  natural,  womanly  rights.  There  are 
man's  rights  and  woman's  rights.  Both  different,  yet  both  eq  ally 
inalienable.  There  must  be  a  head  in  every  firm;  and  the  head  in 
the  Marriage  Firm  or  Union  is  the  man,  as  the  Bible  and  nature  both 


MISCELLANEOUS    QUESTIONS    ANSWERED.  65 

plainly  teach.  We  maintain  that  the  senior  partner,  the  man,  has 
rights  of  the  greatest  importance,  as  regards  the  interests  of  the  mar- 
riage firm,  which  should  not  only  be  respected  and  protected  by  oar 
government,  but  ako  enforced  upon  them  as  an  obligation,  if  the 
senior  is  not  self-moved  to  use  his  rights  practically — and  one  of  the&e 
his  rights,  is  a  right  to  protect  his  own  wife  and  children.  The  junior 
partner  also  has  rights  of  equal  moment  to  the  interests  of  the  firm, 
and  one  of  these  is  her  right  to  be  protected  by  her  senior  partner. 
Not  protected  in  a  prison,  but  in  her  own  home,  as  mistress  of  her 
own  house,  and  as  a  Gfod  appointed  guardian  of  her  infant  children. 
The  government  would  then  be  protecting  the  marriage  union,  while 
it  now  practically  ignores  it. 

To  make  this  matter  still  plainer,  suppose  this  government  was 
under  the  control  of  the  female  instead  of  the  male  influence,  and 
suppose  our  female  government  should  enact  laws  which  required 
the  men  when  they  entered  the  marriage  union  to  alienate  their  right 
to  hold  their  own  property — their  right  to  hold  their  future  earnings — 
their  right  to  their  own  homes — their  right  to  their  own  offspring, 
if  they  should  have  any — their  right  to  their  personal  liberty — and 
all  these  rights  be  passed  over  irito  the  hands  of  their  wives  for  safe 
keeping,  and  so  long  as  they  chose  to  be  married  men,  all  their  claims 
on  our  womanly  government  for  protection  should  be  abrogated 
entirely  by  this  marriage  contract.  Now,  I  ask,  how  many  men 
would  venture  to  get  married  under  these  laws  ?  Would  they  not 
be  tempted  to  ignore  the  marriage  laws  of  our  woman  government 
altogether  ?  Now,  gentlemen,  we  are  sorry  to  own  it,  this  is  the  very 
condition  in  which  your  man  government  places  us.  We,  women, 
looking  from  this  very  standpoint  of  sad  experience,  are  tempted  to 
exclaim,  where  is  the  manliness  of  our  man  government ! 

Divorce,  I  say,  then,  is  in  itself  an  evil — and  is  only  employed  as 
an  evil  to  avoid  a  greater  one,  in  many  instances.  Therefore,  in- 
stead of  being  forced  to  choose  the  least  of  two  evils,  I  would  rather 
reject  both  evils,  and  choose  a  good  thing,  that  of  being  protected  in 
my  own  dear  home  from  unmerited,  unreasonable  abuse — a  restitu- 
tion of  my  rights,  instead  of  a  continuance  of  this  robbery,  •  sanc- 
tioned by  a  divorce. 

In  short,  we  desire  to  live  under  such  laws,  as  will  oblige  our  hus- 
bands to  treat  us  with  decent  ra-pect,  so  long  as  our  good  conduct 
merits  it,  and  then  will  they  be  made  to  feel  a  decent  regard  for  us  as 

their  companions  and  partners,  whom  the  laws  protect  from  their  abuse. 
9 


CG  MARITAL  POWER  EXEMPLIFIED. 

SECOND  QUESTION. 

"  What  are  your  opinions,  Mrs.  Packard,  which  have  caused  all 
this  rupture  in  your  once  happy  family  ?  " 

My  first  impulse  prompts  me  to  answer,  pertly,  it  is  no  one  s  bus- 
iness what  I  think  but  my  own,  since  it  is  to  God  alone  I  am  ac- 
countable for  my  thoughts.  Whether  my  thoughts  are  right  or 
wrong,  true  or  false,  is  no  one's  business  but  my  own.  It  is  my  own 
God  given  right  to  superintend  my  own  thoughts,  and  this  right  I 
shall  never  guarantee  to  any  other  human  being — for  God  himself 
has  authorized  me  to  "judge  ye  not  of  your  own  selves  what  is 
right  ?  "  Yes,  I  do,  and  shall  judge  for  myself  what  is  right  for  me 
to  think,  what  is  right  for  me  to  speak,  and  what  is  right  for  me  to 
do — and  if  I  do  wrong,  I  stand  amenable  to  the  laws  of  society  and 
my  country ;  for  to  human  tribunals  I  submit  all  my  actions,  as  just 
and  proper  matter  for  criticism  and  control.  But  my  thoughts,  I 
shall  never  yield  to  any  human  tribunal  or  oligarchy,  as  a  just  and 
proper  matter  for  arbitration  or  discipline.  It  is  my  opinion  that  the  time 
has  gone  by  for  thoughts  to  be  chained  to  any  creeds  or  oligarchys ;  but 
on  the  contrary,  these  chains  and  restraints  which  have  sp  long  bound  the 
human  reason  to  human  dictation,  must  be  broken,  for  the  reign  of  in- 
dividual, spiritual  freedom  is  about  dawning  upon  our  progressive  world. 

Yes,  I  insist  upon  it,  that  it  is  my  own  individual  right  to  auperin- 
tend  my  own- thoughts ;  and  I  say  farther,  it  is  not  my  right  to  super- 
intend the  thoughts  or  conscience  of  any  other  developed  being.  It 
is  none  of  my  business  what  Mr.  Packard,  my  father,  or  any  other 
developed  man  or  woman  believe  or  think,  for  I  do  not  hold  myself 
responsible  for  their  views.  I  believe  they  are  as  honest  and  sincere 
as  myself  in  the  views  they  cherish,  although  so  antagonistic  to  my 
own  ;  and  I  have  no  wish  or  desire  to  harass  or  disturb  them,  by 
urging  my  views  upon  their  notice.  Yea,  further,  I  prefer  to  have 
them  left  entirely  free  and  unshackled  to  believe  just  as  their  own 
developed  reason  dictates.  And  all  I  ask  of  them  is,  that  they  allow 
me  the  same  privilege.  My  own  dear  father  does  kindly  allow  me 
this  right  of  a  developed  moral  agent,  although  we  differ  as  essen- 
tially and  materially  in  our  views  as  Mr.  Packard  and  I  do.  We, 
like  two  accountable  moral  agents,  simply  agree  to  differ,  and  all  is 
peace  and  harmony. 

My  individuality  has  been  naturally  developed  by  a  life  of  practi- 
cal godliness,  so  that  I  now  know  what  I  do  believe,  as  is  not  the  case 
with  that  class  in  society  who  dare  not  individualize  themselves.  This 


MISCELLANEOUS    QUESTIONS    ANSWERED.  67 

class  are  mere  echoes  or  parasites,  instead  of  individuals.  They  just 
flow  on  with  the  tide  of  public  sentiment,  whether  right  or  wrong ; 
whereas  the  individualized  ones  can  and  do  stem  or  resist  this  tide, 
when  they  think  it  is  wrong,  and  in  this  way  they  meet  with  perse- 
cution. It  is  my  misfortune  to  belong  to  this  unfortunate  class. 
Therefore  I  am  not  ashamed  or  afraid  to  avow  my  honest  opinions 
even  in  the  face  of  a  frowning  world.  Therefore,  when  duty  to  my- 
self or  others,  or  the  cause  of  truth  requires  it,  I  willingly  avow  my 
own  honest  convictions.  On  this  ground,  I  feel  not  only  justified,  but 
authorized,  to  give  the  question  under  consideration,  a  plain  and  can- 
did answer,  knowing  that  this  narrative  of  the  case  would  be  incom- 
plete without  it. 

Another  thing  is  necessary  as  an  introduction,  and  that  is,  I  do  not 
present  my  views  for  others  to  adopt  or  endorse  as  their  own.  They 
are  simply  my  individual  opinions,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  indifference  to 
me,  whether  they  find  an  echo  in  any  other  individual's  heart  or  not. 
I  do  not  arrogate  to  myself  any  popish  right  or  power  to  enforce  my 
opinions  upon  the  notice  of  any  human  being  but  myself..  "While  at 
the  same  time^,  I  claim  that  I  have  just  as  good  a  right  to  my  opinions 
as  Scott,  Clark,  Edwards,  Barnes,  or  Beecher,  or  any  other  human 
being  has  to  theirs.  '  And  furthermore,  these  theologians  have  no 
more  right  to  dictate  to  me  what  I  must  think  and  believe,  than  I 
have  to  dictate  to  them  what  they  must  think  and  believe.  All  have 
an  equal  right  to  their  own  thoughts. 

'And  I  know  of  no  more  compact  form  in  which  to  give  utterance 
to  my  opinions,  than  by  inserting  the  following  letter,  I  wrote  from  my 
prison,  to  a  lady  friend  in  Mt.  Pleasant,  Iowa,  and  sent  out  on  my 
"  under  ground  railroad."  The  only  tidings  I  ever  got  from  this 
letter,  was  a  sight  of  it  in  one  of  the  Chicago  papers,  following  a  long 
and  minute  report  of  my  jury  trial  at  Kankakee.  I  never  knew  how 
it  found  its  way  there ;  I  only  knew  it  was  my  own  identical  letter, 
since  I  still  retain  a  true  copy  of  the  original  among  my  Asylum 
papers.  The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  original  letter,  as  it  now 
stands  in  my  own  hand-writing.  The  friend  to  whom  it  was  written 
has  requested  me  to  omit  those  portions  of  the  letter  which  refer 
directly  to  herself.  In  compliance  with  her  wishes,  I  leave  a  blank 
for  such  omissions.  In  other  respects  it  is  a  true  copy.  The  candid 
reader  can  judge  for  himself,  whether  the  cherishing  of  such  rad- 
ical opinions  is  not  a  crime  of  sufficient  magnitude,  to  justify  all  my 
wrongs  and  imprisonment!  Is  not  my  persecutor  guiltless  in  thismatter? 


68  MARITAL  POWER  EXEMPLIFIED. 

COPY  OF  THE  LETTER. 

Jacksonville,  HI.,  Oct.  23d,  1861. 
MRS.  FISHER.     MY  DEAR  OLD  FKIEND  : — 

My  love  and  sympathy  for  you  is  undiminished.  Changes  do  not 
sever  our  hearts.  I  cannot  but  respect  your  self-reliant,  independent, 
and  therefore  progressive  efforts  to  become  more  and  more  assimi- 
lated to  Christ's  glorious  image.  I  rejoice  whenever  I  find  one  who 
dares  to  rely  upon  their  own  organization,  in  the  investigation  of  truth. 
In  other  words,  one  who  dares  to  be  an  independent  thinker.  *  *  * 

Yes,  you,  Mrs.  Fisher,  in  your  individuality,  are  just  what  God 
made  you  to  be.  And  I  respect  every  one  who  respects  himself 
enough  not  to  try  to  pervert  their  organization,  by  striving  to  remodel 
it,  and  thus  defile  God's  image  in  them.  To  be  natural,  is  our  highest 
praise.  To  let  God's  image  shine  through  our  individuality,  should 
be.  our  highest  aim.  Alas,  Mrs.  Fisher,  how  few  there  are,  who  dare 
to  be  true  to  their  God  given  nature ! 

That  terrible  dogma  that  our  natures  are  depraved,  has  ruined  its 
advocates,  and  led  astray  many  a  guileless,  confiding  soul.  Why  can 
we  not  accept  of  God's  well  done  work  as  perfect,  and  instead  of  de- 
filing, perverting  it,  let  it  stand  in  all  its  holy  proportions,  filling  the 
place  God  designed  it  to  occupy,  and  adorn  the  temple  it  was  fitted 
for  ?  I,  for  one,  Mrs.  Fisher,  am  determined  to  be  a  woman,  true  to 
my  nature.  I  regard  my  nature  as  holy,  and  every  deviation  from,  its 
instinctive  tendency,  I  regard  as  a  perversion — a  sin.  To  live  a  nat- 
ural, holy  life,  as  Christ  did,  I  regard  as  my  highest  honor,  my  chief 
glory. 

I  know  this  sentiment  conflicts  with  our  educated  belief — our 
Church  creeds — and  the  honestly  cherished  opinions  of  our  relatives 
and  friends.  Still  I  believe  a  "  thus  saith  the  Lord "  supports  it. 
Could  Christ  take  upon  himself  our  nature,  and  yet  know  no  sin,  if 
our  natures  are  necessarily  sinful  ?  Are  not  God's  simple,  common 
sense  teaching*,  authority  enough  for  our  opinions  ?  It  is,  to  all  hon- 
est souls. 

Indeed,  Mrs.  Fisher  I  have  become  so  radical,  as  to  call  in  ques- 
tion every  opinion  in  my  educated  belief,  which  conflicts  with  the 
dictates  of  reason  and  common  sense.  I  even  believe  that  God  has 
revealed  to  his  creatures  no  practical  truth,  which  conflicts  with  the 
common  instincts  of  our  common  natures.  In  other  words,  I  believe 
that  God  has  adapted  our  natures  to  his  teachings.  Truth  and 


MISCELLANEOUS    QUESTIONS    ANSWERED.  69 

nature  harmonize.  I  believe  that  all  truth  has  its  source  in  God,  and 
is  eternal.  But  some  perceive  truth  before  others,  because  some  are 
less  perverted  in  their  natures  than  others,  by  their  educational  influ- 
ences, so  that  the  light  of  the  sun  of  righteousness  finds  less  to  obstruct 
its  beams  in  some  than  in  others.  Thus  they  become  lights  in  the 
world,  for  the  benefit  of  others  less  favored.  *  *  * 

You  preceded  me,  in  bursting  the  shackles  of  preconceived  opinions 
and  creeds,  and  have  been  longer  basking  in  the  liberty  wherewith 
Christ  makes  his  people  free,  and  have  therefore  longer  been  taught 
of  him  in  things  pertaining  to  life  and  godliness.  Would  that  I  had 
had  the  mental  courage  sooner  to  have  imitated  you,  and  thus  have 
broken  the  fetters  which  bound  me  to  dogmas  and  creeds.  O,  Mrs. 
Fisher,  how  trammelled  and  crippled  our  consciences  have  been  ! 
O,  that  we  might  have  an  open  Bible,  and  an  unshackled  conscience ! 
And  these  precious  boons  we  shall  have,  for  God,  by  his  providence, 
is  securing  them  to  us.  Yes,  Mrs.  Fisher,  the  persecutions  through 
which  we  are  now  passing  is  securing  to  us  spiritual  freedom,  liberty, 
a  right,  a  determination  to  call  no  man  master,  to  know  no  teacher 
but  the  Spirit,  to  follow  no  light  or  guide  not  sanctioned  by  the  Word 
of  God  and  our  conscience — to  know  no  "  ism  "  or  creed,  but  truth- 
ism,  and  no  pattern  but  Christ. 

Henceforth,  I  am  determined  to  use  my  own  reason  and  conscience 
in  my  investigation  of  truth,  and  in  the  establishment  of  my  own 
opinions  and  practice  I  shall  give  my  own  reason  and  conscience  the 
preference  to  all  others.  *  *  * 

I  know,  also,  that  I  am  a  sincere  seeker  after  the  simple  truth.  I 
know  I  am  not  willful,  but  conscientious,  in  my  conduct.  And,  not- 
withstanding others  deny  this,  I  know  their  testimony  is  false.  The 
Searcher  of  hearts  knows  that  I  am  as  honest  with  myself,  as  I  am 
with  others.  And,  although  like  Paul,  I  may  appear  foolish  to 
others  in  so  doing,  yet  my  regard  for  truth,  transcends  all  other  con- 
siderations of  minor  importance.  God's  good  work  of  grace  in  me 
shall  never  be  denied  by  me,  let  others  defame  it,  and  stigmatize  it 
as  insanity,  as  they  will.  They,  not  I,  are  responsible  for  this  sacri- 
legious act.  God  himself  has  made  me  dare  to  be  honest  and  truth- 
ful, even  in  defiance  of  this  heaven  daring  charge,  and  God's  work 
will  stand  in  spite  of  all  opposition.  "  He  always  wins,  who  sides 
with  God."  Mrs.  Fisher,  I  am  not  now  afraid  or  ashamed  to  utter 
my  honest  opinions.  The  worst  that  my  enemies  can  do  to  defame 
my  character,  they  have  done,  and  I  fear  them  no  more.  I  am  now 


70  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

free  to  be  true  and  honest,  for  this  persecution  for  opinion  and  con- 
science' sake,  has  so  strengthened  and  confirmed  me  in  the  free  ex- 
ercise of  these  inalienable  rights  in  future,  that  no  opposition  can 
overcome  me.  For  I  stand  by  faith  in  what  is  true  and  right.  I 
feel  that  I  am  born  into  a  new  element — freedom,  spiritual  freedom. 
And  although  the  birth  throes  are  agonizing,  yet  the  joyous  results 
compensate  for  all. 

How  mysterious  are  God's  ways  and  plans !  My  persecutors 
verily  thought  they  could  compel  me  to  yield  these  rights  to  human 
dictation,  when  they  have  only  fortified  them  against  human  dictation. 
God  saw  that  suffering  for  my  opinions,  was  necessary  to  confirm  me 
in  them.  And  the  work  is  done,  and  well  done,  as  all  God's  work 
always  is.  No  fear  of  any  human  oligarchy  will,  henceforth,  terrify 
me,  or  tempt  me  to  succumb  to  it. 

I  am  not  now  afraid  that  I  shall  be  called  insane,  if  I  avow  my 
belief  that  Christ  died  for  all  mankind,  and  that  this  atonement  will 
be  effectual  in  saving  all  mankind  from  endless  torment — that  good 
will  ultimately  overcome  all  evil — that  God's  benevolent  purposes 
concerning  his  creatures  will  never  be  thwarted — that  no  rebellious 
child  of  God's  great  family  will  ever  transcend  his  ability  to  disci- 
pline into  entire  willing  obedience  to  his  will.  Can  I  ever  believe 
that  God  loves  his  children  less  than  I  do  mine  ?  *  *  *  And 
has  God  less  power  to  execute  his  kind  plans  than  I  have  ?  Yes,  I 
do  and  will  rejoice  to  utter  with  a  trumpet  tongue,  the  glorious  truth, 
that  God  is  infinitely  benevolent  as  well  as  infinitely  wise  and  just. 

Mrs.  Fisher,  what  can  have  tempted  us  ever  to  doubt  this  glorious 
truth  ?  And  do  we  not  practically  deny  it,  when  we  endorse  the  revolting 
doctrine  of  endless  punishment  ?  I  cannot  but  feel  that  the  Bible, 
literally  interpreted,  teaches  the  doctrine  of  endless  punishment ;  yet, 
since  the  teachings  of  nature,  and  God's  holy  character  and  govern- 
ment, seem  to  contradict  this  interpretation,  I  conclude  we  must  have 
misinterpreted  its  holy  teachings.  For  example,  Jonah  uses  the  word 
everlasting  with  a  limited  meaning,  when  he  says,  "  thine  everlast- 
ing bars  are  about  me."  Although  to  his  view  his  punishment  was 
everlasting,  yet  the  issue  proved  that  in  reality,  there  was  a  limit  to 
the  time  he  was  to  be  in  the  whale's  belly.  So  it  may  be  in  the  ca<e 
of  the  incorrigible  ;  they  may  be  compelled  to  suffer  what  to  them  is 
endless  torment,  because  they  see  no  hope  for  them  in  the  future. 
Yet  the  issue  will  prove  God's  love  to  be  infinite,  in  rescuing  them 
from  eternal  pedition. 


MISCELLANEOUS    QUESTIONS    ANSWERED.  71 

Again,  Mrs.  Fisher,  my  determination  and  aim  is,  to  become  a  per- 
fect person  in  Ghrisfs  estimation,  although  by  so  doing,  I  may  be- 
come the  filth  and  off-scouring  of  all  perverted  humanity.  What  con- 
sequence is  it  to  us  to  be  judged  of  man's  judgment,  when  the  cause 
of  our  being  thus  condemned  by  them  as  insane,  is  the  very  char- 
acter which  entitles  us  to  a  rank  among  the  archangels  in  heaven  ? 

Again,  I  am  calling  in  question  my  right  to  unite  myself  to  any 
Church  of  Christ  militant  on  earth ;  fearing  I  shall  be  thereby  en- 
tramrnelled  by  some  yoke  of  bondage — that  the  liberty  wherewith 
Christ  makes  his  people  free  may  thus  be  circumscribed.  There  is 
so  much  of  the  spirit  of  bigotry  and  intolerance  in  every  denomina- 
tion of  Christians  now  on  earth,  that  they  do  not  allow  us  an  open 
Bible  and  an  unshackled  conscience.  Or,  in  other  words,  there  are 
some  to  be  found  in  almost  every  church,  to  whom  we  shall  become 
stumbling  blocks  or  rocks  of  offence,  if  we  practically  use  the  liberty 
which  Christ  offers  us.  Now  what  shall  I  do?  I  do  want  to  obey 
Christ's  direct  command  to  come  out  from  the  world  and  be  separate, 
while  at  the  same  time  I  feel  that  there  is  more  Christian  liberty  and 
charity  out  of  the  Church  than  in  it.  I  am  now  waiting  and  seeking 
the  Spirit's  aid  in  bringing  this  question  to  a  practical  test  and  issue. 

And,  Mrs.  Fisher,  I  fully  believe,  from  God's  past  care  of  me,  that 
he  will  lead  me  to  see  the  true  and  living  way  in  which  I  ought  to 
walk.  I  will  not  hide  my  light  under  a  bushel,  but  put  it  upon  a 
candlestick,  that  it  may  give  light  to  others.  I  will  also  live  out, 
practically,  my  honestly  cherished  opinions,  believing  "that  they  that 
do  his  commandments  shall  know  of  the  doctrine."  I  also  fully  be- 
lieve that  the  more  fully  and  exclusively  I  live  out  the  teachings  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  the  more  persecution  I  shall  experience.  For  they 
that  will  live  godly,  in  Christ's  estimation,  "  shall  suffer  persecution." 

Mrs.  Fisher,  I  fully  believe  that  Christ's  coming  cannot  be  far  dis- 
tant His  coming  will  restore  all  things,  which  we  have  lost  for  his 
sake.  Our  cause  will  then  find  an  eloquent  pleader  in  Christ  him- 
self, and  through  our  Advocate,  the  Judge,  Himself,  will  acknowledge 
us  to  be  his- true,  loyal  subjects,  and  we  shall  enter  into  the  full  pos- 
session of  our  promised  inheritance.  "With  this  glorious  prospect  in 
full  view  to  the  eye  of  faith,  let  us  "  gird  up  the  loins  of  our  mind." 
In  other  words,  let  us  dare  to  pursue  the  course  of,  the  independent 
thinker,  and  let  us  run  with  patience  the  race  set  before  us.  Let  us 
carry  uncomplainingly  the  mortifying  cross,  which  is  laid  upon  us,  so 
long  as  God  suffers  it  to  remain  ;  remembering  that  it  is  enough  for 


72  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

the  servant  that  he  be  as  his  Master.  For  "  as  they  have  persecuted 
me,  they  will  persecute  you  also."  "  Be  of  good  cheer."  Mrs.  Fisher, 
"  I  have  overcome  the  world."  Blessed  consolation !  Mrs.  Fisher, 
the  only  response  I  expect  to  get  from  this  letter,  is  your  silent  heart- 
felt sympathy  in  my  sorrows.  No  utterance  is  allowed  for  my  allevi- 
ation. And  the  only  way  that  I  am  allowed  to  administer  consolation 
through  the  pen  is  by  stratagem.  I  shall  employ  this  means  so  far  as 
lies  in  my  power,  so  that  when  the  day  of  revelation  arrives,  it  may 
be  said  truthfully  of  me,  "  she  hath  done  what  she  could."  Impossi- 
bilities are  not  required  of  us. 

Please  tell  Theophilus,  my  oft  repeated  attempts  to  send  him  a 
motherly  letter,  have  been  thwarted.  And  he,  poor  persecuted  boy ! 
cannot  be  allowed  a  mother's  tender,  heartfelt  sympathy.  O,  my 
God,  protect  my  precious  boy !  and  carry  him  safely  through  this  pit- 
iless storm  of  cruel  persecution.  Do  be  to  him  a  mother  and  a  sister, 
and  God  shall  bless  you.  Please  deliver  this  message,  charged  to 
overflowing  with  a  mother's  undying  love.  Be  true  to  Jesus.  Ever 
believe  me  your  true  friend  and  sympathizing  sister, 

E.  P.  W.  PACKARD. 

THIRD  QUESTION. 

"  Do  you  think,  Mrs.  Packard,  that  your  husband  really  believes 
you  are  an  insane  person  ?  " 

I  do  not.  I  really  believe  he  knows  I  am  a  sane  person ;  and  still, 
he  is  struggling  with  all  his  might  to  make  himself  and  others  believe 
this  delusion,  because  his  own  conscience  is  accusing  him  constantly 
with  this  lie  against  it.  With  all  his  accumulated  testimonials  that  I 
am  insane,  and  all  his  sophistries  and  reasoning  upon  false  premises 
to  establish  this  lie,  he  cannot  silence  this  accusing  monitor  within 
himself,  testifying  to  the  contrary.  Either  this  is  in  reality  the  case, 
or  he  has  at  last  reached  that  point,  where  a  person  has  made  such  a 
sinner  of  his  own  conscience  as  to  believe  his  own  lies ;  or,  in  other 
words,  he  has  so  perverted  his  conscience  as  to  become  conscientiously 
wrong.  But  it  is  not  for  me  to  judge  his  heart,  only  from  the  stand- 
point of  his  own  actions,  and  from  this  basi?,  I  give  the  above  as  my 
honest  opinion  on  this  point. 

Two  facts  alone  may  be  sufficient  to  give  somecorroboration  in  support 
of  this  opinion.  After  taking  me  from  my  asylum  prison,  and  while 
his  prisoner  at  my  own  house,  he  asked  me  to  sign  a  deed  for  the 


MISCELLANEOUS    QUESTIONS    ANSWERED.  73 

transfer  of  some  of  his  real  estate  in  Mt.  Pleasant,  Iowa,  and  finding 
I  could  not  be  induced  to  do  it,  without  returning  to  me  my  note  of 
six  hundred  dollars  he  had  robbed  me  of,  and  also  some  of  my  good 
clothing,  he  sought  to  transfer  it,  as  the  law  allows  one  to  do,  in  case 
the  needed  witness  is  legally  incapacitated  by  insanity  to  give  their 
signature ;  and  for  this  purpose  he  was  obliged  to  take  an  oatu  that  I 
was  insane.  He  did  take  this  oath  that  I  was  insane,  and  thereby 
outlawed  as  a  legal  witness.  It  was  administered  by  Justice  Labrie. 
A  few  days  after  this,  he  called  this  same  Justice  in  to  our  house  to 
witness  my  signing  this  deed,  and  used  it  as  a  valid  signature.  Now 
to  say  under  oath  one  thing  one  day,  and  to  deny  it  the  next,  is  rather 
crooked  business  for  a  healthy  Christian  conscience  to  sanction. 

Another  fact.  When  he  was  preparing  to  put  me  into  an  Insane 
Asylum,  I  asked  him  why  he  was  so  very  anxious  to  put  the  stigma 
of  insanity  upon  me,  when  he  knew  I  was  not  insane  ?  Said  he,  "  I 
am  doing  it  so  that  your  opinions  need  not  be  believed.  I  must  pro- 
tect the  cause  of  Christ." 

Cause  of  Christ  i  I  felt  like  exclaiming,  if  your  cause  of  Christ 
needs  such  a  defence,  I  think  it  must  be  in  a  sad  condition.  If  it 
can 't  stand  before  the  opinions  of  a  woman,  I  should  n't  think  a  man 
would  attempt  to  protect  it !  The  truth  is,  the  cause  of  Christ  to  him 
is  his  creed — a  set  of  human  opinions.  While  the  real  cause  of  Christ 
is  humanity  ;  and  a  very  important  part  of  this  cause  of  Christ  to  a 
true  man,  is  the  protection  of  his  own  wife. 

FOURTH  QUESTION. 

"  Could  you  forgive  Mr.  Packard,  and  live  with  him  again  as  his 
wife  ?  " 

Yes,  I  could,  freely,  promptly  and  fully  forgive  him,  on  the  gospel 
condition  of  practical  repentance.  This  condition  could  secure  it, 
and  this  alone.  As  I  understand  Christ's  teachings,  he  does  not  allow 
me  to  forgive  him  until  he  does  repent,  and  in  some  sense  make  res- 
titution. He  directs  me  to  forgive  my  brother  if  he  repent — yea,  if  he 
sins  and  repents  seventy  times  seven,  I  must  forgive  as  many  times. 
But  if  he  does  not  repent,  I  am  not  allowed  to  forgive  him.  And  so 
long  as  he  insists  upon  it,  both  by  word  and  deed,  that  he  has  done 
only  what  was  right  for  him  to  do,  and  that  he  shall  do  the  same 
thing  again,  if  he  has  a  chance  to,  I  do  not  see  any  chance  for  me  to 
oestow  my  forgiveness  upon  a  penitent  transgressor. 


74  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

He  feels  that  I  am  the  one  to  ask  forgiveness,  for  not  yielding  my 
opinions  to  his  dictation,  instead  of  causing  him  so  much  trouble  in 
trying  to  bring  me  under  subjection  to  his  will,  in  this  particular.  He 
does  not  claim  that  I  ever  resisted  his  will  in  any  other  particular — 
and  I  have  not  felt  it  my  duty  to  do  so.  I  had  rather  yield  than 
quarrel  any  time,  where  conscience  is  not  concerned.  He  knows  I 
have  done  so,  for  twenty-one  years  of  married  life.  But  to  tell  a  lie, 
and  be  false  to  my  honest  convictions,  by  saying  I  believed  what  I  did 
not  believe,  I  could  not  be  made  to  do. 

My  truth  loving  nature  could  never  be  subjected  to  falsify  itself — I 
must  and  shall  be  honest  and  truthful.  And  although  King  David 
said  in  his  haste,  "  all  men  are  liars,"  I  rejoice  he  did  not  say  all 
women  were,  for  then  there  would  have  been  no  chance  for  my  vin- 
dication of  myself  as  a  truthful  woman  !  This  one  thing  is  certain,  I 
have  been  imprisoned  three  years  because  I  could  not  tell  a  lie,  and 
now  I  think  it  would  be  bad  business  for  me  to  commence  at  this  late 
hour. 

I  cannot  love  oppression,  wrong,  or  injustice  under  any  circum- 
stances. But  on  the  contrary,  I  do  hate  it,  while  at  the  same  time  I 
can  love  the  sinner  who  thus  sins  ;  for  I  find  it  in  my  heart  to  forgive 
to  any  extent  the  penitent  transgressor.  I  am  not  conscious  of  feel- 
ing one  particle  of  revengeful  feeling  towards  Mr.  Packard,  while  at 
the  same  time  I  feel  the  deepest  kind  of  indignation  at  his  abuses  of 
me.  And  furthermore,  I  really  feel  that  if  any  individual  ever  de- 
served penitentiary  punishment,  Mr.  Packard  does,  for  his  treatment 
of  me.  Still,  /would  not  inflict  any  punishment  upon  him — for  this 
business  of  punishing  my  enemies  I  am  perfectly  content  to  leave 
entirely  with  my  Heavenly  Father,  as  he  requires  me  to  do,  as  I  un- 
derstand his  directions.  And  my  heart  daily  thanks  God  that  it  is 
not  ray  business  to  punish  him.  One  sinner  has  no  right  to  punish 
another  sinner.  God,  our  Common  Father,  is  the  only  being  who 
holds  this  right  to  punish  any  of  his  great  family  of  human  children. 

All  that  is  required  of  me  is,  to  do  him  good,  and  to  protect  my- 
self from  his  abuse  as  best  I  can ;  and  it  is  not  doing  him  good  to  for- 
give him  before  he  repents.  It  is  reversing  God's  order.  It  is  not 
to  criminate  him  that  I  have  laid  the  truth  before  the  public.  Duty 
demands  it  as  an  act  of  self-defence  on  my  part,  and  a  defence  of  the 
rights  of  that  oppressed  class  of  married  women  which  my  case  rep- 
resents. I  do  not  ask  for  him  to  be  punished  at  any  human  tribunal ; 
all  I  ask  is,  protection  for  myself,  and  also  the  class  I  represent. 


MISCELLANEOUS    QUESTIONS    ANSWERED.  75 

One  other  fact  it  may  be  well  here  to  mention,  and  that  is :  I  have 
withdrawn  all  fellowship  with  him  in  his  present  attitude  towards  me. 
I  do  not  so  much  as  speak  or  write  to  him,  and  this  I  do  from  the 
principle  of  self-defence,  and  not  from  a  spirit  of  revenge.  I  know  all 
my  words  and  actions  are  looked  upon  through  a  very  distorted  me- 
dium, and  whatever:  I  say  or  do,  he  weaves  into  capital  to  carry  on  his 
persecution  with.  And  I  think  I  have  Christ's  example  too  as  my 
defence  in  this  course ;  for  when  he  was  convinced  his  persecutors 
questioned  him  only  for  the  purpose  of  catching  him  in  his  words, 
"  he  was  speechless."  I  have  said  all  I  have  to  say  to  Mr.  Packard 
in  his  present  character.  But  when  he  repents,  I  will  forgive  him, 
and  restore  him  to  full  communion. 

FIFTH  QUESTION. 

"In  what  estimation  is  Mr.  Packard  held  in  the  region  where 
these  scenes  were  enacted  ?  " 

Where  the  truth  is  known,  and  as  the  revelations  of  the  court  room 
developed  the  facts  exactly  as  they  were  found  to  exist,  the  popular 
verdict  is  decidedly  against  him.  Indeed,  the  tide  of  popular  indigna- 
tion rises  very  high  among  that  class,  who  defend  religious  liberty  and 
equal  rights,  free  thought,  free  speech,  free  press.  .  -V; 

I  state  this  as  a  fact  which  my  own  personal  observation  demon- 
strates. In  canvassing  for  my  book  in  many  of  the  largest  cities  in 
the  State  of  Illinois,  I  had  ample  opportunity  to  test  this  truth,  and 
were  I  to  transcribe  a  tithe  of  the  expressions  of  this  indignant  feeling 
which  I  alone  have  heard,  it  would  swell  this  pamphlet  to  a  mammoth 
size.  A  few  specimen  expressions  must  therefore  be  taken  as  a  fair 
representation  of  this  popular  indignation.  "Mr.  Packard  cannot 
enter  our  State  without  being  in  danger  of  being  lynched,"  is  an  ex- 
pression I  have  often  heard  made  from  the  common  people. 

From  the  soldiers  I  have  often  heard  these,  and  similar  expressions ; 
"  Mrs.  Packard,  if  you  need  protection  again,  just  let  us  know  it,  and 
we  will  protect  you  with  the  bullet,  if  there  is  no  other  defence." 
"  If  he  ever  gets  you  into  another  Asylum,  our  cannon  shall  open  its 
walls  for  your  deliverance,"  &c. 

The  Bar  in  Illinois  may  be  represented  by  the  following  expres- 
sions, made  to  me  by  the  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court,  in  Ottawa 
Court  house  "  Mrs.  Packard,  this  is  the  foulest  outrage  we  ever 
heard  of  in  real  life ;  we  have  read  of  such  deep  laid  plots  in 


76  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

romances,  but  we  never  knew  one  acted  out  in  real  life  before.  We 
did  not  suppose  such  a  plot  could  be  enacted  under  the  laws  of  our 
State.  But  this  we  will  say,  if  ever  you  are  molested  again  in  our 
State,  let  us  know  it,  and  we  will  put  Mr.  Packard  and  his  con- 
spiracy where  they  ought  to  be  put." 

The  pulpit  of  Illinois  almost  universally  condemns  the  outrage,  as 
a  crime  against  humanity  and  human  rights.  But  fidelity  to  the 
truth  requires  me  to  say  that  there  are  some  exceptions.  The  only 
open  defenders  I  ever  heard  for  Mr.  Packard,  came  from  the  Church 
influence,  and  the  pulpit.  Among  all  the  ministers  I  have  conversed 
with  on  this  subject,  I  have  found  only  two  ministers  who  uphold  his 
course.  One  Presbyterian  minister  told  me,  he  thought  Mr.  Packard 
had  done  right  in  treating  me  as  he  had ;  "  you  have  no  right,"  said 
he,  "  to  cherish  opinions  which  he  does  not  approve,  and  he  did  right 
in  putting  you  in  an  Asylum  for  it.  I  would  treat  my  wife  just  so, 
if  she  did  so ! "  The  name  and  residence  of  this  minister  I  could  give 
if  I  chose,  but  I  forbear  to  do  so,  lest  I  expose  him  unnecessarily. 

The  other  clergyman  was  a  Baptist  minister.  "I  uphold  Mr. 
Packard  in  what  he  has  done,  and  I  would  help  him  in  putting  you 
in  again  should  he  attempt  it."  The  name  and  place  of  this  minister 
I  shall'  withold  unless  self-defence  requires  the  exposure. 

When  I  have  added  one  or  two  more  church  members  to  those  two 
just  named,  it  includes  the  whole  number  I  ever  heard  defend,  in  my 
presence,  Mr.  Packard's  course.  Still,  I  have  no  doubt  but  that  these 
four  represent  a  minority  in  Illinois,  who  are  governed  by  the  same 
popish  principles  of  bigotry  and  intolerance  as  Mr.  Packard  is.  And 
I  think  it  may  be  said  of  this  class,  as  a  Chicago  paper  did  of  Mr. 
Packard,  after  giving  an  account  of  the  case,  the  writer  said :  "  The 
days  of  bigotry  and  oppression  are  not  yet  past.  If  three-fourths 
of  the  people  of  the  world  were  of  the  belief  of  Rev.  Packard  and  his 
witnesses,  the  other  fourth  would  be  burned  at  the  stake." 

The  opinion  of  his  own  church  and  community  in  Manteno,  where 
he  preached  at  the  time  I  was  kidnapped,  is  another  class  whose  ver- 
dict the  public  desire  to  know  also.  I  will  state  a  few  facts,  and  leave 
the  public  to  draw  their  own  inferences.  When  he  put  me  off,  his 
church  and  people  were  well  united  in  him,  and  as  a  whole,  the 
church  not  only  sustained  him  in  his  course,  but  were  active  co-con- 
spirators. When  I  returned,  he  preached  nowhere.  He  was  closeted 
at  his  own  domicil  on  the  Sabbath,  cooking  the  family  dinner,  while 
his  children  were  at  church  and  sabbath  school.  His  society  was,' 


MISCELLANEOUS    QTESTIONS    ANSWERED.  77 

almost  entirely  broken  up.  I  was  told  he  preached  until  none  would 
come  to  hear  him ;  and  his  deacons  gave  as  their  reason  for  not  sus- 
taining him,  that  the  trouble  in  his  family  had  destroyed  his  influence 
in  that  community.  Multitudes  of  his  people  who  attended  my  trial, 
whom  I  know  defended  him  at  the  time  he  kidnapped  me,  came  to 
me  with  these  voluntary  confessions :  "  Mrs.  Packard,  I  always  knew 
you  were  not  insane."  "I never  believed  Mr.  Packard's  stories." 
"I  always  felt  that  you  was  an  abused  woman,"  &c.,  &c. 

These  facts  indicated  some  change  even  in  the  opinion  of  his  own 
allies  during  my  absence.  As  I  said,  I  leave  the  public  to  draw  their 
own  inferences.  I  have  done  my  part  to  give  them  the  premises  of 
facts,  to  draw  them  from. 

SIXTH  QUESTION. 

"  Mrs.  Packard,  is  your  husband's  real  reason  for  treating  you  as 
he  has,  merely  a  difference  in  your  religious  belief,  or  is  there  not 
something  back  of  all  this?  It  seems  unaccountable  to  us,  that  mere 
bigotry  should  so  annihilate  all  human  feeling." 

This  is  a  question  I  have  never  been  able  hitherto  to  answer,  sat- 
isfactorily, either  to  myself  or  others ;  but  now  I  am  fully  prepared  to 
answer  it  with  satisfaction  to  myself,  at  least ;  that  is,  facts,  stubborn 
facts,  which  never  before  came  to  my  knowledge  until  my  visit  home, 
compel  me  to  feel  that  my  solution  of  this  perplexing  question,  is  now 
based  on  the  unchangeable  truth  of  facts.  For  I  have  read  with  my 
own  eyes  the  secret  correspondence  which  he  has  kept  up  with  my 
father,  for  about  eight  years  past,  wherein  this  question  is  answered 
by  himself,  by  his  own  confessions,  and  in  his  own  words. 

And  as  a  very  natural  prelude  to  this  answer,  it  seems  to  me  not 
inappropriate  to  answer  one  other  question  often  put  to  me  first, 
namely  :  "has  he  not  some  other  woman  in  view?" 

I  can  give  my  opinion  now,  not  only  with  my  usual  promptness, 
but  more  than  my  usual  confidence  that  I  am  correct  in  my  opinion. 
I  say  confidently,  he  has  not  any  other  woman  in  view,  nor  never 
had ;  and  it  was  only  because  I  could  not  fathom  to  the  cause  of  this 
"  Great  Drama,"  that  this  was  ever  presented  to  my  own  mind,  as  a 
question.  1  believe  that  if  ever  there  was  a  man  who  practically  be- 
lieved in  the  monogomy  principle  of  marriage,  he  is  the  man.  Yes, 
I  believe,  with  only  one  degree  of  faith  less  than  that  of  knowledge, 
that  the  only  Bible  reason  for  a  divorce  never  had  an  existence  in 
our  case. 


78  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

And  here,  as  the  subject  is  now  opened,  I  will  take  occasion  to  say, 
that  as  I  profess  to  be  a  Bible  woman  both  in  spirit  and  practice,  I 
cannot  conscientiously  claim  a  Bible  right  to  be  divorced.  I  never 
have  had  the  first  cause  to  doubt  his  fidelity  to  me  in  this  respect,  and 
he  never  has  had  the  first  cause  to  doubt  my  own  to  him. 

But  fidelity  to  the  truth  of  God's  providential  events  compel  me  to 
give  it  as  my  candid  opinion,  that  the  only  key  to  the  solution  of  thisj 
mysterious  problem  will  yet  be  found  to  be  concealed  in  the  fact,  that 
Mr.  Packard  is  a  monomaniac  on  the  subject  of  woman's  rights,  and 
that  it  was  the  triumph  of  bigotry  over  his  manliness,  which  occa- 
sioned this  public  manifestation  of  this  peculiar  mental  phenomenon. 
Some  of  the  reasons  for  thh  opinion,  added  to  the  facts  of  this  dark 
drama  which  are  already  before  the  public,  lie  ha  the  following 
statement. 

In  looking  over  the  correspondence  above  referred  to,  I  find  the 
*;  confidential "  part  all  refers  to  dates  and  occasions  wherein  I  can  dis- 
tinctly recollect  we  had  had  a  warm  discussion  on  the  subject  of  wo- 
man's rights ;  that  is,  I  had  taken  occasion  from  the  application  of  his 
insane  dogma,  namely,  that  "  a  woman  has  no  rights  that  a  man  is 
bound  to  respect"  to  defend  the  opposite  position  of  equal* rights.  I 
used  sometimes  to  put  my  argument  into  a  written  form,  hoping  thus 
to  secure  for  it  a  more  calm  and  quiet  consideration.  I  never  used 
any  other  weapons  in  self-defence,  except  those  paper  pellets  of  the 
brain.  And  is  not  that  man  a.  coward  who  cannot  stand  before  such 
artillery  ? 

But  not  to  accuse  Mr.  Packard  of  cowardice,  I  will  say,  that  in- 
stead of  boldly  meeting  me  as  his  antagonist  on  the  arena  of  argu- 
ment and  discussion,  and  there  openly  defending  himself  against  my 
knockdown  arguments,  with  his  Cudgel  of  Insanity,  I  find  he  closed 
off  such  discussions  with  his  secret  "  confidential "  letters  to  my  rela- 
tives and  dear  friends,  saying,  that  he  had  sad  reason  to  fear  his 
wife's  mind  was  getting  out  of  order ;  she  was  becoming  insane  on  the 
subject  of  woman's  rights ;  "  but  be  sure  to  keep  this  fact  a  profound 
secret — especially,  never  let  Elizabeth  hear  that  /ever  intimated  such 
a  thing." 

I  presume  this  is  not  the  first  time  an  opponent  in  argument  has 
called  his  conqueror  insane,  or  lost  to  reason,  simply  because  his  logic 
was  too  sound  for  him  to  grapple  with,  and  the  will  of  the  accuser  was 
too  obstinate  to  yield,  when  conscientiously  convinced.  But  it  cer- 
tainly is  more  honorable  and  manly,  to  accuse  him  of  insanity  to  his 


MISCELLANEOUS    QUESTIONS    ANSWERED.  79 

face,   than  it  is  to  thus  secretly  plot  against   him  an    imprisonable 
offence,  without  giving  him  the  least  chance  at  self-defence. 

Again,  I  visited  Hon.  Gerrit  Smith,  of  Peterborough,  New  York, 
about  three  years  before  this  secret  plot  culminated,  to  get  light  on 
this  subject  of  woman's  rights,  as  I  had  great  confidence  in  the  de- 
ductions of  his  noble,  capacious  mind ;  and  here  I  found  my  positions 
were  each,  and  all,  indorsed  most  fully  by  him.  Said  he,  "  Mrs.  Pack- 
ard, it  is  high  time  that  you  assert  your  rights,  there  is  no  other  way 
for  you  to  live  a  Christian  life  with  such*a  man."  And,  as  I  left, 
while  he  held  my  hand  in  his,  he  remarked,  "  You  may  give  my  love 
to  Mr.  Packard,  and  say  to  him,  if  he  is  as  developed  a  man  as  I  con- 
sider his  wife  to  be  a  woman,  I  should  esteem  it  an  honor  to  form  his 
acquaintance."  So  it  appears  that  Mr.  Smith  did  not  consider  my 
views  on  this  subject  as  in  conflict  either  with  reason  or  common 
sense. 

Again,  his  physician,  Dr.  Fordice  Rice,  of  Cazenovia,  New  York, 
to  whom  I  opened  my  whole  mind  on  this  subject,  said  to  me  in  con- 
clusion— "  I  can  unravel  the  whole  secret  of  your  family  trouble.  Mr. 
Packard  is  a  monomaniac  on  the  treatment  of  woman.  I  don't  see 
how  you  have  ever  lived  with  so  unreasonable  a  man." 

I  replied,  "  Doctor,  I  can  live  with  any  man — for  I  will  never 
quarrel  with  any  one,  especially  a  man,  and  much  less  with  my  hus- 
band. I  can  respect  Mr.  Packard  enough,  notwithstanding,  to  do  him 
good  all  the  days  of  my  life,  and  no  evil  do  I  desire  to  do  him  ;  and 
moreover,  I  would  not  exchange  him  for  any  man  I  know  of,  even 
if  I  could  do  so,  simply  by  turning  over  my  hand;  for  I  believe  he  is 
just  the  man  God  appointed  from  all  eternity  to  be  my  husband. 
Therefore,  I  am  content  with  my  appointed  portion  and  lot  of  conju- 
gal happiness." 

Again.  It  was  only  about  four  years  before  I  was  kidnapped,  that 
Mr.  O.  S.  Fowler,  the  great  Phrenologist,  examined  his  head,  and 
expressed  his  opinion  of  his  mental  condition  in  nearly  these  words. 
"  Mr.  Packard,  you  are  losing  your  mind — your  faculties  are  all 
dwindling — your  mind  is  fast  running  out — in  a  few  years  you  will 
not  even  know  your  own  name,  unless  your  tread-mill  habits  are 
broken  up.  Your  mind  now  is  only  working  like  an  old  worn  out 
horse  in  a  tread  mill." 

Thus  our  differences  of  opinion  can  be  accounted  for  on  scientific 
principles.  Here  we  see  his  sluggish,  conservative  temperament, 
rejecting  light,  which  costs  any  effort  to  obtain  or  use — clinging,  serf- 


80  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

like,  to  the  old  paths,  as  with  a  death  grasp  ;  while  my  active,  radical 
temperament,  calls  for  light,  to  bear  me  onward  and  upward,  never 
satisfied  until  all  available  means  are  faithfully  used  to  reach  a  more 
progressive  state.  Now  comes  the  question.  Is  activity  and  pro- 
gression in  knowledge  and  intelligence,  an  indication  of  a  sane,  nat- 
fural  condition,  or  is  it  an  unnatural,  insane  indication?  And  is  a 
stagnant,  torpid,  and  retrogressive  state  of  mentality,  a  natural  or  an 
unnatural  condition — a  sane,  or  an  insane  state? 

In  our  mental  states  we  simply  grew  apart,  instead  of  together.  He 
was  dwindling,  dying;  I  was  living,  growing,  expanding.  And  this 
natural  development  of  intellectual  power  in  me,  seemed  to  arouse 
this  morbid  feeling  of  jealousy  towai'ds  me,  lest  I  outshine  him.  That 
is,  it  stimulated  his  monomania  into  exercise,  by  determining  to  anni- 
hilate or  crush  the  victim  in  whose  mental  and  moral  magnetism  he 
felt  so  uneasy  and  dissatisfied  with  himself.  While,  at  the  same  time, 
the  influence  of  my  animal  magnetism,  was  never  unpleasant  to  him ; 
but,  on  the  contrary,  highly  gratifying.  Yea,  I  have  every  reason  to 
believe  he  ever  regarded  me  as  a  model  wife,  and  model  mother,  and 
housekeeper.  He  often  made  this  remark  to  me  :  "  I  never  knew  a 
woman  whom  I  think  could  equal  you  in  womanly  virtues." 

Again.  While  on  this  recruiting  tour,  I  made  it  my  home  for  sev- 
eral weeks  at  Mr.  David  Field's,  who  married  my  adopted  sister, 
then  living  in  Lyons,  New  York.  I  made  his  wife  my  confidant 
of  my  family  trials,  to  a  fuller  degree  than  I  ever  had  to  any  other 
human  being,  little  dreaming  or  suspecting  that  she  was  noting  my 
every  word  and  act,  to  detect  if  possible,  some  insane  manifestations. 
But,  to  her  surprise,  eleven  weeks  observation  failed  to  develop  the 
first  indication  of  insanity.  The  reason  she  was  thus  on  the  alert, 
was,  that  my  arrival  was  preceded  by  a  letter  from  Mr.  Packard,  say- 
ing his  wife  was  insane,  and  urged  her  to  regard  all  my  representa- 
tions of  family  matters  as  insane  statements.  Then  he  added,  "  Now, 
Mrs.  Field,  I  must  require  of  you  one  thing,  and  that  is,  that  you 
burn  this  letter  as  soon  as  you  have  read  it;  don't  even  let  your 
husband  see  it  at  all,  or  know  that  you  have  had  a  letter  from  me, 
and  by  all  means,  keep  this  whole  subject  a  profound  secret  from 
Elizabeth." 

My  sister,  true  to  Mr.  Packard's  wishes,  burned  this  letter,  and 
buried  the  subject  entirely  in  oblivion.  But  when  she  heard  that  I 
was  incarcerated  in  an  Asylum,  then,  in  view  of  all  she  did  know, 
and  in  view  of  what  she  did  not  know,  she  deeply  suspected  there 


MISCELLANEOUS    QUESTIONS    ANSWERED.  81 

was  foul  play  in  the  transaction,  and  felt  it  to  be  her  duty  to  tell  her 
husband  all  she  knew.  He  fully  indorsed  her  suspicions,  and  they 
both  undertook  a  defence  for  me,  when  she  received  a  most  insulting 
and  abusive  letter  from  Mr.  Packard,  wherein  he,  in  the  most 
despotic  manner,  tried  to  browbeat  her  into  silence.  Many  tears  did 
this  devoted  sister  shed  in  secret  over  this  letter  and  my  sad  fate — as 
this  letter  revealed  Mr.  Packard's  true  character  to  her  in  an  un- 
masked state.  "  0,  how  could  that  dear,  kind  woman  live  with  such 
a  man  ! "  was  her  constant  thought. 

Nerved  and  strengthened  by  her  husband's  advice,  she  determined 
to  visit  me  in  the  Asylum,  and,  if- possible,  obtain  a  personal  interview. 
She  did  so.  She  was  admitted  to  my  room.  There  she  gave  me  the 
first  tidings  I  ever  heard  of  that  letter.  While  at  the  Asylum,  my 
attendants,  amongst  others,  asked  her  this  question  :  "  Mrs.  Field,  can 
you  tell  us  why  such  a  lady  as  Mrs.  Packard,  is  shut  up  in  this 
Asylum;  we  have  never  seen  the  least  exhibition  of  insanity  in  her; 
and  one  in  particular  said,  I  saw  her  the  first  day  she  was  entered, 
and  she  was  then  just  the  same  quiet,  perfect  lady,  you  see  her  to  be 
to  day — now  do  tell  us  why  she  is  here  ?  " 

Her  reply  I  will  not  give,  since  her  aggravated  and  indignant  feel- 
ings prompted  her  to  clothe  it  in  very  strong  language  against  Mr. 
Packard,  indicating  that  he  ought  to  be  treated  as  a  criminal,  who 
deserved  capital  punishment.  In  my  opinion,  sister  would  have  come 
nearer  the  truth,  had  she  said  he  ought  to  be  treated  just  as  he  is 
treating  his  wife — as  a  monomaniac. 

And  I  hope  I  shall  be  pardoned,  if  I  give  utterance  to  brother's 
indignant  feelings,  in  his  own  words,  for  the  language,  although  stiong, 
does  not  conflict  with  Christ's  teachings  or  example.  Among  the  pile 
of  letters  above  alluded  to,  which  Mr.  Packard  left  accidentally  in  my 
room,  was  one  from  this  Mr.  Field,  which  seemed  to  be  an  answer  to 
one  Mr.  Packard  wrote  him,  wherein  it  seemed  he  had  been  calling 
Mr.  Field  to  account  for  having  heard  that  he  had  called  him  a 
"devil,"  and  demanded  of  him  satisfaction,  if  he  Lad  done.-o;  for 
Mr.  Field  makes  reply:  "  I  do  believe  men  are  possessed  with  devils 
now  a  days,  as  much  as  they  were  in  Christ's  d  xys,  and  I  believe  too 
that  some  are  not  only  possessed  with  one  devil,  but  even  seven  devil?, 
and  I  believe  you  are  the  man  !  "  I  never  heard  of  his  denying  the 
charge  as  due  Mr.  Field  afterwards ! 

From  my  own  observations  in  an  insane  asylum,  I  am  fully  satis- 
6 


82  MAUITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

fitfd    that  Mr.  Field  is  correct  in  his  premises,  and  I  must  also  allow 
that  he  has  a  right  of  opinion  in  its  application. 

Looking  from  these  various  stand-points,  it  seems  to  me  self-evident, 
that  this  Great  Drama  is  a  woman's  rights  struggle.  From  the  com- 
mencement to  its  present  stage  of  development,  this  one  insane  idea 
seems  to  be  the  backbone  of  the  rebellion :  A  married  woman  has  no 
rights  which  her  husband  is  bound  to  respect. 

While  he  simply  defended  his  insane  dogma  a?  an  opinion  only,  no 
one  had  thu  least  right  to  call  him  a  monomaniac ;  but  when  this  in- 
sane idea  became  a  practical  one,  then,  and  only  till  then,  had  we 
any  right  to  call  him  an  insane  person.  Now,  if  the  course  he  has 
taken  with  me  is  not  insanity — that  is,  an  unreasonable  course,  I  ask, 
what  is  insanity  ? 

Now  let  this  great  practical  truth  be  for  one  moment  considered, 
namely,  All  that  renders  an  earth-life  desirable — all  the  inalienable 
right-!  and  privileges  of  one  developed,  moral,  and  accountable,  sensi- 
tive being,  lie  wholly  suspended  on  the  arbitrary  will  of  this  intolerant 
man,  or  monomaniac.  No  law,  no  friend,  no  logic,  can  defend  me  in 
the  least,  legally,  from  this  despotic,  cruel  power;  for  the  heart  which 
controls  this  will  has  become,  as  it  respects  his  treatment  of  me, 
"  without  understanding,  a  covenant  breaker,  without  natural  affec- 
tion, implacable,  unmerciful." 

And  let  another  truth  also  be  borne  in  mind,  namely,  that  this  one 
man  stands  now  as  a  fit  representative  of  all  that  class  in  society,  and 
God  grant  it  may  be  found  to  be  a  very  small  class!  who  claim  that 
the  subjection  of  the  wife,  instead  of  the  protection  of  the  wife,  is  the 
true  law  of  marriage.  This  marriage  law  of  subjection  has  now  cul- 
minated, so  that  it  has  become  a  demonstrated  fact,  that  its  track  lies 
wholly  in  the  direction  of  usurpation ;  and  therefore  this  track,  on 
which  so  many  devoted,  true  women,  have  taken  a  through  or  life 
ticket  upon,  is  one  which  the  American  government  ought  to  guard 
and  protect  by  legal  enactments ;  so  that  such  a  drama  as  mine  can- 
not be  again  legally  tolerated  under  the  flag  of  our  protective  govern- 
ment. God  grant,  that  this  one  mute  appeal  of  stubborn  fact,  may 
ba  sufficient  to  nerve  up  the  woman  protectors  of  our  manly  govern- 
ment, to  guard  us,  in  some  manner,  against  woman's  greatest  foe — 
the  women  subjectors  of  society. 

It  may  be  proper  here  to  add  the  result  of  this  recruiting  tour. 
After  being  absent  eleven  weeks  from  my  home,  and  this  being  the 


MISCELLANEOUS    QUESTIONS    ANSWERED.  83 

fir.^t  time  I  had  left  my  husband  during  all  my  married  life,  longer 
than  for  one  week's  time,  I  returnedto  my  home,  to  receive  as  corditil 
and  as  loving  a  welcome  as  any  wife  could  desire.  Indeed,  it  seemed 
to  me,  that  the  home  of  my  husband's  heart  had  become  "empty, 
swept,  and  garnished,"  during  my  absence,  and  that  the  foul  spirits 
of  usurpation  had  left  this  citadel,  as  I  fondly  hoped,  forever.  In- 
deed, I  felt  that  I  had  good  reason  to  hope,  that  my  logic  had  been 
calmly  and  impassionately  digested  and  indorsed,  during  my  absence, 
so  that  now  this  merely  practical  recognition  of  my  womanly  rights, 
almost  instantly  moved  my  forgiving  heart,  not  only  to  extend  to  him, 
unasked,  my  full  and  free  forgiveness  for  the  past,  but  all  this  abuse 
seemed  to  be  seeking  to  find  its  proper  place  in  the  grave  of  forget- 
ful oblivion. 

This  radical  transformation  in  the  bearing  of  my  husband  towards 
me,  allowing  me  not  only  the  rights  and  privileges  of  a  junior  partner 
in  the  family  firm,  but  also  such  a  liberal  portion  of  manly  expressed 
love  and  sympathy,  as  caused  my  susceptible,  sensitive,  heart  of  affec- 
tion fairly  to  leap  for  joy.  Indeed,  I  could  now  say,  what  I  could 
never  say  in  truth  before,  I  am  happy  in  my  husband's  love — happy 
in  simply  being  treated  as  a  true  woman  deserves  to  be  treated — 
with  love  and  confidence.  All  the  noblest,  purest,  sensibilities  of  wo- 
man's sympathetic  nature  find  in  this,  her  native  element,  room  for 
full  expansion  and  growth,  by  stimulating  them  into  a  natural,  health- 
ful exercise.  It  is  one  of  the  truths  of  God's  providential  events, 
that  the  three  last  years  of  married  life  were  by  far  the  happiest  I 
ever  spent  with  Mr,  Packard. 

So  open  &nd  bold  was  I  in  this  avowal,  during  these  three  happy 
years,  that  my  correspondence  of  those  days  is  radiant  with  this  truth. 
And  it  was  not  three  months,  and  perhaps  not  even  two  months,  pre- 
vious to  my  being  kidnapped,  that  I  made  a  verbal  declaration  of  this 
fact,  in  Mr.  Packard's  presence,  to  Deacon  Dole,  his  sister's  husband, 
in  these  words.  The  interests  of  the  Bible  class  had  been  our  topic 
of  conversation,  when  I  had  occasion  to  make  this  remark:  "Bro- 
ther," said  I,  "  don't  you  think  Mr.  Packard  is  remarkably  tolerant 
to  me  these  days,  in  allowing  me  to  bring  my  radical  views  before 
your  class  ?  And  don't  you  think  he  is  changing  as  fast  as  we  can 
expect,  considering  his  conservative  organization?  "We  cannot,  of 
course,  expect  him  to  keep  up  with  my  radical  temperament.  I  think 
we  shall  make  a  man  of  him  yet !  " 

Mr.  Packard  laughed  outright,  and  replied,  "  Well,  wife,  I  am  ^lad 


84:  3IAHITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

you  have  got  so  good  an  opinion  of  me.     I  hope  I  shall  not  disappoint 
your  expectations ! " 

But,  alas !  where  is  he  now  ?  O,  the  dreadful  demon  of  bigotry, 
was  allowed  to  enter  and  take  possession  of  this  once  garnished  house, 
through  the  entreaties,  and  persuasions,  and  threats,  of  his  Deacon 
Smith,  and  his  perverted  sister,  Mrs.  Dole.  These  two  spirits  united, 
were  stronger  than  his  own,  and  they  overcame  him,  and  took  from 
him  all  his  manly  armor,  so  that  the  demon  he  let  in,  "  brought  with 
him  seven  other  spirits  more  wicked  than  himself,  and  they  enter  in 
and  dwell  there,"  still ;  so  that  I  sadly  iear  "  the  last  state  of  that  man 
will  be  worse  than  the  first." 

I  saw  and  felt  the  danger  of  the  vortex  into  which  his  sister  and 
deacon  were  dragging  him,  and  I  tried  to  save  him,  with  all  the  logic 
of  love,  and  pure  devotion  to  his  highest  and  best  interests;  but  all  in 
vain.  .Never  shall  I  forget  this  fatal  crisis.  When,  just  three  weeks 
before  he  kidnapped  me,  I  sat  alone  with  him  in  his  study,  and  while 
upon  his  lap,  with  my  arms  encircling  his  neck,  and  my  briny  cheek 
pressed  against  his  own,  I  begged  of  him  to  be  my  protector,  in  these 
words :  "  O,  husband !  don't  yield  to  their  entreaties  1  Do  be  true  to 
your  marriage  vow — true  to  yourself — true  to  God.  Instead  of  taking 
the  side  of  bigotry,  and  going  against  your  wife,  do  just  protect  to  me 
my  right  of  opinion,  which  this  deacon  and  sister  seem  determined  to 
wrest  from  me.  Just  say  to  the  clas.«,  "  My  wife  has  as  good  a  right 
to  her  opinion  as  the  class  have  to  theirs — and  I  shall  protect  her  in 
this  right — you  need  not  believe  her  opinions  unless  you  choose;  but 
she  shall  have  her  rights  of  opinion,  unmolested,  for  I  shall  be  my 
wife's  protector."  I  added,  "Then,  husband,  you  will  be  a  man. 
You  will  deserve  honor,  and  you  will  be  sure  to  have  it ;  but  if  you 
become  my  persecutor,  you  will  become  a  traitor  'to  your  manli- 
ness ;  you  will  deserve  dishonor,  and  you  will  surely  get  it  in  full 
measure." 

My  earnestness  he  construed  into  anger.  He  thrust  me  from  him. 
He  determined,  at  all  hazard,  to  subject  my  rights  of  opinion  to  his 
will,  instead  of  protecting  them  by  his  manliness.  The  plot  already 
laid,  eight  years  previous,  now  had  a  rare  opportunity  to  culminate, 
k  sure  as  he  was  of  all  needed  help  in  its  dreadful  execution.  In  Hire 
short  weeks  I  was  a  State's  prisoner  of  Illinois  Lunatic  Asylum,  being 
supported  as  a  State  pauper! 

From  this  fatal  evening  all  appeals  to  his  reason  and  humanity 
have  been  worse  than  fruitless.  They  have  only  served  to  aggravate 


FALSE  REPORTS  CORRECTED.  85 

hi?  maddened  feeling*,  and  goad  him  on  to  greater  deeds  of  despera- 
tion. Like  Nebuchadnezzar,  his  reason  is  taken  from  him,  on  this 
one  subject ;  and  unrestrained,  maddened,  resentment  fills  his  de- 
praved soul — his  manliness  is  dead.  Is  he  not  a  monomaniac  ? 

FALSE  REPORTS  CORRECTED. 

I  find  in  circulation  various  false  reports  and  misrepresentations,  so 
slanderous  in  their  bearing  upon  my  character  and  reputation,  and 
that  of  my  family  relatives,  that  I  think  they  demand  a  passing 

notice  from  me,  in  summing  up  this  brief  record  of  events. 
I 

FIRST  REPORT. 

"  Mrs.  Packard's  mother  was  an  insane  woman,  and  sevaral  of  her 
relatives  have  been  insane ;  and,  therefore,  Mrs.  Packard's  insanity 
is  hereditary,  consequently,  she  is  hopelessly  insane." 

This  base  and  most  cruel  slander  originated  from  Mr.  Packard's 
own  heart ;  was  echoed  before  the  eyes  of  the  public,  by  Dr.  McFar" 
land,  Superintendent  of  the  Insane  Asylum,  through  the  Chicago 
Tribune,  in  a  letter  which  he  wrote  to  the  Tribune  in  self-defence, 
after  my  trial.  The  verdict  of  the  jury  virtually  impeached  Dr.  Mc- 
Farland  as  an  accomplice  in  this  foul  drama,  and  as  one  who  had 
prostituted  his  high  public  trust,  in  a  most  notorious  manner.  This 
presentation  of  him  and  his  institution  before  the  public,  seemed  to 
provoke  this  letter,  as  a  vindication  of  his  course.  And  the  most 
prominent  part  of  this  defence  seemed  to  depend  upon  his  making  the 
people  believe  that  the  opinion  of  the  jury  was  not  correct,  in  pro- 
nouncing me  sane.  And  he  used  this  slander  as  the  backbone  of  his 
argument,  to  prove  that  I  was  hopelessly  insane,  there  having  been 
no  change  either  for  the  better  or  worse,  while  under  his  care,  and 
that  I  left  the  institution  just  as  I  entered  it,  incurably  insane. 

I  think  I  cannot  answer  this  slander  more  summarily  and  concisely, 
than  by  quoting,  verbatim,  Mr.  Stephen  R.  Moore's,  my  attorney, 
reply  to  this  letter,  as  it  was  published  at  the  time  in  the  public 
papers. 

MR.    MOORE'S    REPLY    TO    DR.    MCFARLAND's    SLANDER. 

"  Your  letter  starts  out  with  a  statement  of  an  error,  which  I  be- 
lieve to  be  wholly  unintentional,  and  results  from  placing  too  much 
confidence  in  the  statements  of  your  friend,  Rev.  Theophilus  Pack- 


86  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

ard.  Yo  i  say,  "  Mrs.  P.,  as  one  of  the  results  of  a  strongly  inherited 
predisposition,  (her  mother  having  been  for  a  long  period  of  her  life 
insane,)  had  an  attack  of  insanity  previous  to  her  marriage."  Such 
are  not  the  facts.  Neither  the  mother,  nor  any  blood  relations  of 
Mrs.  Packard,  were  ever  suspected  or  charged  with  being  insane. 
And  it  is  a  slander  of  one  of  the  best  and  most  pious  mothers  of  New 
England,  and  her  ancestry,  to  charge  her  and  them  with  insanity ; 

and  could  have   emanated  only  from  the  heart  of  the  pious , 

who  would  incarcerate  the  companion  of  his  bosom  for  three  years 
with  gibbering  idiots  and  raving  maniacs. 

/~      "  Nor  had  Mrs.  Packard  an  attack  of  insanity  before  her  marriage. 

\    The  pious  Packard  has  fabricated  this  story  to  order,  from  the  circum-l 

I    stance,  that  when  a  young  lady,  Mrs.  Packard  had  a  severe  attack 
^    of  brain  fever,  and  under  which  fever  she  was  for  a  time  delirious. 

/     and  no  further,  has  this  a  semblance  of  truth." 

/          This  is  the  simple  truth,  which  all  my  relatives  are  ready,  and 
many  of  them  very  anxious  to  certify  to ;  but  the  limits  of  this  pam- 

V    phlet  will  not  admit  any  more  space  in  answer  to  this  slander. 

SECOND  REPORT. 

"  Mrs.  Packard  is  very  adroit  in  concealing  her  insanity." 
This  report  originated  from  the  same  source,  and  I  will  answer  it 
in  the  words  of  the  same  writer,  as  found  in  his  printed  reply  :  "  You 
say,  '  Mrs.  Packard  is  very  adroit  in  concealing  her  insanity.'  She 
has  indeed  been  most  adroit  in  this  concealment,  when  her  family 
physician  of  seven  year's  acquaintance,  and  all  her  friends  and  neigh- 
bors, with  whom  she  visited  daily,  and  her  children,  and  the  domes- 
tics, and  lastly,  the  court  and  jury  had  not,  and  could  not,  discover 
any  traces  of  insanity ;  and  the  only  persons  who  say  they  find  her 
insane,  were  Dr.  McFarland,  your  pious  friend  Rev.  Packard,  his 
sister,  and  her  husband,  one  deacon  of  the  church,  and  a  fascinating 
young  convert — all  members  of  his  church — and  a  doctor.  These 
witnesses  each  and  every  one  swore  upon  the  stand,  "  That  it  was 
evidence  of  insanity  in  Mrs.-  Packard,  because  she  wished  to  leave 
the  Presbyterian  church,  and  join  the  Methodist."  I  quote  the  rea- 
sons given  by  these  "Lambs  of  the  Church,"  that  you  may  know 
what  weight  their  opinions  are  entitled  to.  The  physician,  upon  whose 
certificate  you  say  you  held  Mrs.  Packard,  swore  upon  the  trial,  that 
three-fourths  of  the  religious  community  were  just  as  insane  as  Mrs. 
Packard." 


FALSE  REPOHTS  CORRECTED.  87 

THIRD  REPORT. 

"All  her  family  friends,  almost  without  exception,  sustain  Mr. 
Packard  in  his  course." 

Not  one  of  my  family  friends  ever  intelligently  sustained  Mr.  Pack- 
ard in  his  course.  But  they  did%sustain  him  ignorantly  and  unde- 
signedly,  for  a  time,  while  his  tissue  of  lies  held  them  back  from  in- 
vestigating the  merits  of  the  case  for  themselves.  But  as  soon  as 
they  did  know,  they  became  my  firm  friends  and  defenders,  and  Mr. 
Packard's  private  foes  and  public  adversaries.  I  do  not  mean  by 
this,  that  they  manifest  any  revengeful  feelings  towards  him,  but  sim- 
ply a  God-like  resentment  of  his  inhuman  course  towards  me.  All 
my  relatives,  without  exception,  who  have  heard  my  own  statement 
.from  my  own  lips,  now  unite  in  this  one  opinion,  that  Mr.  Pack- 
ard has  had  no  right  nor  occasion  for  putting  me  into  an  insane 
asylum. 

But  fidelity  to  the  truth  requires  me  to  say  in  this  connection,  that 
among  my  family  relatives,  are  three  families  of  Congregational  min- 
isters— that  each  of  these  families  have  refused  me  any  hearing,  so 
that  they  are  still  in  league  with,  and  defenders  of,  Mr.  Packard.  All 
I  have  to  say  for  them  is,  "  May  the  Lord  forgive  them,  for  they 
know  not  what  they  do." 

But  it  may  be  urged  that  the  published  certificates  of  her  friends 
contradict  this  statement.  This  is  not  the  case.  Those  certificates 
which  have  appeared  in  print  since  my  return  to  my  friends,  all  bear 
date  to  the  time  they  were  given  previous  to  my  return. 

And  in  this  connection  I  feel  conscientiously  bound,  in  defence 
of  my  kindred,  to  say,  that  some  of  these  certificates  are  mere  for- 
geries in  its  strict  sense ;  that  is,  they  were  drafted  by  Mr.  Packard, 
himself,  and  most  adroitly  urged  upon  the  individual  whose  signa- 
ture he  desired  to  obtain,  and  thus  his  logic,  being  based  in  a  false- 
hood, which  was  used  as  a  truth,  and  received  as  such,  they  are  thus 
made  to  certify  to  what  was  not  the  real  truth.  My  minor  children's 
certificates  are  the  mere  echoes  of  their  father's  will  and  dictation. 
He  has  tried  to  buy  the  signatures  of  my  two  oldest  sons,  now  of  age, 
in  Chicago,  by  offering  them  some  of  his  abundant  surplus  clothing, 
from  his  missionary  boxes,  if  they  would  only  certify  that  their  mo, 
ther  was  insane.  But  these  noble  sons  have  too  much  moral  rectitude 
to  sell  their  consciences  for  clothes  or  gohl.  Instead  of  being  abet- 
tors in  their  father's  crimes,  they  have,  and  do  still,  maintain  a  most 


88  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

firm  stand  in  defence  of  me.  And  for  this  manly  act  of  filial  piety 
towards  me,  their  father  has  disinherited  both  of  them,  as  he  has  me, 
from  our  family  rights. 

Another  thing,  it  is  no  new  business  for  Mr.  Packard  to  practice 
forgery.  This  assertion  I  can  prove  by  his  own  confession.  Not 
long  beforie  I  was  exiled  from  my  home,  he  said  to  me  one  day,  "  I 
have  just  signed  a  note,  which,  if  brought  against  me  in  law,  would 
place  me  in  a  penitentiary ;  but  I  think  I  am  safe,  as  I  have  fixed  it." 
Again,  Mr.  Packard  sent  a  great  many  forged  letters  to  the  Superin- 
tendent of  the  Asylum,  while  I  was  there,  professing  to  come  from  a 
different  source,  wherein  the  writer  urged,  very  strongly,  the  neces- 
sity of  keeping  me  in  an  asylum,  and  begging  him,  most  pathetically, 
to  keep  me  there,  not  only  for  Mr.  Packard's  sake,  but  also  for  his 
children's  sake,  and  community's  sake,  and,  lastly,  for  the  cause  of 
Christ's  sake !  Dr.  McFarland  used  to  come  to  me  for  an  explana- 
tion of  this  singular  phenomenon.  I  would  promptly  tell  him  the 
letters  are  a  forgery — the  very  face  of  them  so  speaks — for  who 
would  think  of  a  minister  in  Ohio  writing,  self-moved,  to  a  Superin- 
tendent in  Illinois,  begging  of  him  to  keep  another  man's  wife  in  his 
Asylum !  Either  these  letters  were  exact  copies  of  Mr.  Packard's, 
with  the  exception  of  the  signature,  or,  they  were  entirely  drafted 
from  Mr.  Packard's  statement,  and  made  so  as  to  be  an  echo  of  Mr 
Packard's  wishes,  but  seeming  to  be  a  self-moved  act  of  the  writer's 
own  mind  and  wishes. 

O,  how  fruitful  is  a  depraved  heart  in  devising  lies,  and  masking 
them  with  the  semblance  of  truth !  and  how  many  lies  it  takes  to  de- 
fend one  !  The  lie  he  was  thus  trying  to  defend  was,  that  I  was  in- 
sane, when  I  was  not,  and  all  this  gigantic  frame  work  of  certificates 
and  testimony  became  necessary  as  props  to  sustain  it. 

I  now  give  the  testimony  of  my  lawyer,  who,  after  witnessing  the 
revelations  of  the  court  room,  thus  alludes  to  this  subject  in  his  reply 
to  Dr.  McFarland's  letter.  "  The  certificates  produced,  fully  attest- 
ing her  insanity,  before  she  was  admitted,  I  suspect  were  forgeries  of 
the  pious  Packard,  altered  to  suit  the  occasion,  and  your  too  gener- 
ous disposition  to  rely  upon  the  statements  made  to  you,  was  taken 
advantage  of  again,  and  they  were  imposed  upon  you,  without  the 
critical  examination  their  importance  demanded." 


FALSE  REPORTS  C3RRECTED.  89 

FOURTH  REPORT. 

"  Mrs.  Packard  is  alienated  from  her  kindred,  and  even  her  own 
father  and  husband." 

I  will  confess  I  am  alienated  from  such  manifestations  of  love  as 
they  showed  me  while  in  the  Asylum ;  that  is,  from  none  at  all.  Not 
one,  except  my  adopted  sister,  and  my  two  sons  at  Chicago,  ever 
made  an  attempt  to  visit  me,  or  even  wrote  me  scarcely  one  line.  I 
do  say,  this  was  rather  cold  sympathy  for  one  passing  through  such 
scenes  as  I  was  called  to  pass  through.  This  fact  was  not  only  an 
enigma  to  myself,  but  it  was  so  to  all  my  Asylum  friends,  and  even 
to  the  Doctor  himself,  if  I  can  believe  his  own  words.  He  would 
often  say  to  me,  "  Mrs.  Packard,  who  are  your  friends  ?  have  you 
any  in  the  wide  world  ?  If  so,  why  do  they  not  look  after  you  ?" 

I  used  at  first  to  say,  I  have  many  friends,  and  no  enemies,  except 
Mr.  Packard,  that  I  know  of  in  the  whole  world.  All  my  relatives 
love  me  tenderly.  But  after  watching  in  vain  for  three  years  of 
prison  life  for  them  to  show  me  some  proof  of  it,  I  changed  my  song, 
and  owned  up,  I  had  no  friends  worth  the  name ;  for  my  adversity 
had  tried  or  tested  their  love,  and  it  had  all  been  found  wanting — 
entirely  wanting.  So  it  looked  to  me  from  that  stand  point.  And  I 
still  insist  upon  it,  this  was  a  sane  conclusion.  For  what  is  that  love 
worth,  that  can't  defend  its  friend  in  adversity  ?  I  say  it  is  not  worth 
the  name  of  love. 

But  it  must  be  remembered,  I  saw  then  only  one  side  of  the  pic- 
ture. The  other  side  I  could  not  see  until  I  saw  my  friends,  and 
looked  from  their  standpoint.  Then  I  found  that  the  many  letters  1 
had  written  had  never  reached  them  ;  for  Mr.  Packard  had  instructed 
Dr.  McFarland,  and  had  insisted  upon  it,  that  not  a  single  letter  should 
be  sent  to  any  of  my  friends,  not  even  my  father,  or  sons,  without 
reading  it  himself,  and  then  sending  it  to  him  to  read,  before  sending 
it ;  and  so  he  must  do  with  all  the  letters  sent  to  me  ;  and  the  result 
was,  scarcely  none  were  delivered  to  me,  nor  were  mine  sent  to  my 
friends.  But  instead  of  this,  a  brisk  correspondence  was  kept  up 
between  Dr.  McFarland  and  Mr.  Packard,  who  both  agreed  in  repre- 
senting me  as  very  insane ;  so  much  so,  that  my  good  demanded  that 
I  be  kept  entirely  aloof  from  their  sympathy.  I  have  seen  and  read 
these  letters,  and  now,  instead  of  blaming  my  friends  for  regarding 
me  as  insane,  I  don't  see  how  they  could  have  come  to  any  other  con- 
clusion. From  their  standpoint,  they  acted  judiciously,  and  kindly. 


90  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

They  were  anxious  to  aid  the  afflicted  minister  to  the  extent  they 
could,  in  restoring  reason  to  his  poor  afflicted,  maniac  wife,  and  they 
thought  the  Superintendent  understood  his  business,  and  with  him, 
and  her  kind  husband  to  superintend,  they  considered  I  must  be  well 
cared  for. 

And  again,  how  could  they  imagine,  that  a  man  would  wish  to  have 
the  reputation  of  having  an  insane  wife,  when  he  had  not?  And 
could  the  good  and  kind  Mr.  Packard  neglect  even  his  poor  afflicted 
wife  ?  No^  she  must  be  in  good  hands,  under  the  best  of  care,  and  it 
is  her  husband  on  whom  we  must  lavish  our  warmest,  tenderest,  sym- 
pathies !  Yes,  so  it  was ;  Mr.  Packard  managed  so  as  to  get  all  the 
sympathy,  and  his  wife  none  at  all.  He  got  all  the  money,  and  she 
not  a  cent.  He  got  abundant  tokens  of  regard,  and  she  none  at  all. 
In  short,  he  had  buried  me  in  a  living  tomb,  with  his  own  hands,  and 
he  meant  there  should  be  no  resurrection.  And  the  statement  that  I 
was  alienated  from  my  friends  when  I  was  entered,  is  utterly  false. 
No  one  ever  loved  their  kindred  or  friends  with  a  warmer  or  a  purer 
love  than  I  ever  loved  mine. 

Neither  was  I  alienated  even  from  Mr.  Packard,  when  he  entered 
me.  As  proof  of  this,  I  will  describe  my  feelings  as  indicated  by  my 
conduct,  at  the  time  he  forced  me  from  my  dear  ones  at  home.  After 
the  physicians  had  examined  me  as  described  in  my  Introduction,  and 
Mr.  Packard  had  ordered  me  to  dress  for  a  ride  to  the  Asylum,  I 
asked  the  privilege  of  having  my  room  vacated,  so  that  I  might  bathe 
myself,  as  usual,  before  dressing ;  intending  myself  to  then  secure 
about  my  person,  secretly,  my  Bible-class  documents,  as  all  that  I  had 
said  in  defence  of  my  opinions  was  in  writing,  never  having  trusted 
myself  to  an  extemporaneous  discussion  of  my  new  ideas,  lest  I  be 
misrepresented.  And  I  then  felt  that  these  documents,  alone,  were 
my  only  defence,  being  denied  all  and  every  form  of  justice,  by  any 
trial.  I  therefore  resorted  ta  this  innocent  stratagem,  as  it  seemed  to 
me,  to  secure  them ;  that  is,  I  did  not  tell  Mr.  Packard  that  I  had 
any  other  reason  for  being  left  alone  in  my  room  than  the  one  I 
gave  him. 

But  he  refused  me  this  request,  giving  as  his  only  reason,  that  he 
did  not  think  it  best  to  leave  me  alone.  He  doubtless  had  the  same 
documents  in  view,  intending  thus  to  keep  me  from  getting  them,  for 
he  ordered  Miss  Rumsey  to  be  my  lady's  maid,  as  a  spy  upon  my 
actions.  I  dared  not  attempt  to  get  them  with  her  eye  upon  me,  lest 
she  take  them  from  me,  or  report  me  to  Mr.  Packard,  as  directed  by 


FALSE  REPORTS  CORRECTED.  (J'l 

him  so  to  do,  as  I  believed.  I  resolved  upon  one  more  strategem  as 
my  last  and  only  hope,  and  this  was,  to  ask  to  be  left  alone  long 
enough  to  pray  in  my  own  room  once  more,  before  being  forced  from 
it  into  my  prison,  When,  therefore,  I  was  all  dressed,  ready  to  be 
kidnapped,  I  asked  to  see  my  dear  little  .ones,  to  bestow  upon  them 
my  parting  kiss.  But  was  denied  this  favor  also  ! 

"  Then,"  said  I,  "  can  I  bear  such  trials  as  these  without  God's 
help?  And  is  not  this  help  given  us  in  answer  to  our  own  prayers? 
May  I  not  be  allowed,  husband,  to  ask  this  favor  of  God  alone  in  my 
room,  before  being  thus  exiled  from  it  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  he,  "  I  don't  think  it  is  best  to  let  you  be  alone  in  your 
room." 

"0,  husband,"  said  I,  "you  have  allowed  me  no  chance  for 
my  secret  devotions  this  morning,  can't  I  be  allowed  this  one  last 
request  ?  " 

"  No ;  I  think  it  is  not  best ;  but  you  may  pray  with  your  door 
open." 

I  then  kneeled  down  in  my  room,  with  my  bonnet  and  shawl  on, 
and  in  the  presence  and  hearing  of  the  sheriff,  and  the  conspiracy  I 
offered  up  my  petition,  in  an  audible  voice,  wherein  I  laid  my  bur- 
dens frankly,  fully,  before  my  sympathizing  Saviour,  as  I  would  have 
done  in  secret.  And  this  Miss  Rumsey  reports,  that  the  burden  of 
this  prayer  was  for  Mr.  Packard's  forgiveness.  She  says,  I  first  told 
God  what  a  great  crime  Mr.  Packard  was  committing  in  treating  his 
wife  as  he  was  doing,  and  what  great  guilt  he  was  thus  treasuring  up 
to  himself,  by  this  cruel  and  unjust  treatment  of  the  woman  he  had 
sworn  before  God  to  protect;  and  what  an  awful  doom  he  must  surely 
meet  with,  under  the  government  of  a  just  God,  for  these  his  great 
sins  against  me,  and  so  forth ;  and  then  added,  that  if  it  was  possible 
for  God  to  allow  me  to  bear  his  punishment  for  him,  that  he  would 
allow  me  so  to  do,  if  in  that  way,  his  soul  might  be  redeemed  from 
the  curse  which  must  now  rest  upon  it.  In  short,  the  burden  of  my 
prayer  was,  that  I  might  be  his  redeemer,  if  my  sufferings  could  in 
any  possible  way  atone  for  his  sins.  Such  a  petition  was,  of  course 
looked  upon  by  this  conspiracy,  as  evidence  of  my  insanity,  and  has 
been  used  by  them,  as  such.  But  I  cannot  but  feel  that  in  God's 
sight,  it  was  regarded  as  an  echo  of  Christ's  dying  prayer  for  his 
murderers,  prompted  by  the  same  spirit  of  gospel  forgiveness  of  ene- 
mies. In  fact,  if  I  know  anything  of  my  own  heart,  I  do  know  that 
it  then  cherished  not  a  single  feeling  of  resentment  towards  him. 


92  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

But  my  soul  was  burdened  by  a  sense  of  his  great  guilt,  and  only 
desired  his  pardon  and  forgiveness. 

As  another  proof  of  this  assertion,  I  will  describe  our  parting  inter- 
view at  the  Asylum.  He  had  stayed  two  nights  at  the  Asylum, 
occupying  the  stately  guest  chamber  and  bed  alone,  while  I  was  being 
locked  up  in  my  narrow  cell,  on  my  narrow  single  bed,  with  the 
howling  maniacs  around  for  my  serenaders.  He  sat  at  the  sumptu- 
ous table  of  the  Superintendent,  sharing  in  all  its  costly  viands  and 
dainties,  and  entertained  by  its  refined  guests,  for  his  company  and 
companions.  While  I,  his  companion,  ever  accustomed  to  the  most 
polished  and  best  society,  was  sitting  at  our  long  table,  furnished  with 
nothing  but  bread  and  meat ;  and  my  companions,  some  of  them, 
gibbering  maniacs,  Avhose  presence  and  society  must  be  purchased 
only  at  the  risk  of  life  or  physicaHnjury.  He  could  walk  about  the 
city  at  his  pleasure,  or  be  escorted  in  the  sumptuous  carriage,  while  I 
could  only  circumambulate  the  Asylum  yard,  under  the  vigilant  eye 
of  my  keeper.  O,  it  did  seem,  these  two  days  and  nights,  as  though 
my  affectionate  heart  would  break  with  my  over  much  sorrow.  No 
sweet  darling  babe  to  hug  to  my  heart's  embrace — no  child  arms  to 
encircle  my  neck  and  bestow  on  my  cheek  its  hearty  "  good  night  " 
kiss.  No — nothing,  nothing,  in  my  surroundings,  to  cheer  and  soothe 
my  tempest  tossed  soul. 

In  this  sorrowful  state  of  mind  Mr.  Packard  found  me  in  my  cell, 
and  asked  me  if  I  should  not  like  an  interview  with  him,  in  the  par- 
lor, as  he  was  about  to  leave  me  soon. 

"  Yes,"  said  I,  "  I  should  be  very  glad  of  one,"  and  taking  his  arm, 
I  walked  out  of  the  hall.  As  I  passed  on,  one  of  the  attendants  re- 
marked :  "  See,  she  is  not  alienated  from  her  husband,  see  how  kindly 
she  takes  his  arm  ! "  When  we  reached  the  parlor,  I  seated  myself 
by  his  side,  on  the  sofa,  and  gave  full  vent  to  my  long  pent  up  emo- 
tions and  feelings. 

"  O,  husband ! "  said  I,  "  how  can  you  leave  me  in  such  a  place  ? 
It  seems  as  though  I  cannot  bear  it.  And  my  darling  babe  !  O,  what 
will  become  of  him  !  How  can  he  live  without  his  mother !  And  how 
can  I  live  without  my  babe,  and  my  children !  O,  do,  do,  I  beg  of 
you,  take  me  home.  You  know  I  have  always  been  a  true  and 
loving  wife  to  you,  and  how  can  you  treat  me  so?  "  My  entreaties  and 
prayers  were  accompanied  with  my  tears,  which  is  a  very  uncommon 
manifestation  with  me  ;  and  while  I  talked,  I  arose  from  my  seat  and 
walked  the  room,  with  my  handkerchief  to  my  eyes  ;  for  it  seemed 


FALSE  REPOHTS  CORRECTED.  93 

as  if  my  heart  would  break.  Getting  no  response  whatever  from 
him,  I  took  down  my  hand  to  see  why  he  did  not  speak  to  me 
when — what  did  I  see !  my  husband  sound  asleep,  nodding  his 
head ! 

"  O,  husband  !  "  said  I,  "  can  you  sleep  while  your  wife  is  in  such 
agony  ?  " 

Said  he,  "  I  can't  keep  awake  ;-I  have  been  broke  of  my  rest." 

"  I  see,"  said  I,  "  there  is  no  use  in  trying  to  move  your  feelings, 
we  may  as  well  say  our  'good  bye'  now  as  ever."  And  as  I  be- 
stowed upon  him  the  parting  kiss,  I  said,  "  May  our  next  meeting  be 
in  the  spirit  land!  And  if  there  you  find  yourself  in  a  sphere  of  lower 
development  than  myself;  and  you  have  any  desire  to  rise  to  a  higher 
plane,  remember,  there  is  one  spirit  in  the  universe,  who  will  leave 
any  height  of  enjoyment,  and  descend  to  any  depth  of  misery,  to 
raise  you  to  a  higher  plane  of  happiness,  if  it  is  possible  so  to  do. 
And  that  spirit  is  the  spirit  of  your  Elizabeth.  Farewell !  husband, 
forever ! ! " 

This  is  the  exact  picture.  Now  see  what  use  he  makes  of  it.  In 
his  letter  to  my  father,  he  says :  "She  did  not  like  to  be  left.  I 
pitied  her."  (Pitied  her !  How  was  his  sympathy  manifested  ?)  "  It 
was  an  affecting  scene.  But  she  was  very  mad  at  me,  and  tried  to 
wound  my  feelings  every  way.  She  would  send  no  word  to  the 
children,  and  would  not  pleasantly  bid  me  good  bye."  Pleasantly 
was  underlined,  to  make  it  appear,  that,  because  I  did  not  pleasantly 
bid  him  good  bye,  under  these  circumstances,  I  felt  hard  towards 
him,  and  this  was  a  proof  of  my  alienation,  and  is  as  strong  a  one 
as  it  is  possible  for  him  to  bring  in  support  of  his  charge. 

Let  the  tender  hearted  mother  draw  her  own  inferences — man 
cannot  know  what  I  then  suffered.  And  may  a  kind  God  grant, 
that  no  other  mother  may  ever  know  what  I  then  felt,  in  her  own 
sad  experience! 

The  truth  is,  I  never  was  alienated  from  my  husband,  until  he 
gave  ma  just  cause  for  this  alienation,  and  not  until  he  put  me  into 
the  A-ylum,  and  then  it  took  four  long  months  more,  of  the  most 
intense  spiritual  torture,  to  develop  in  rny  loving,  forgiving  heart,  one 
feeling  of  hate  towards  him.  As  proof  of  this,  I  will  here  insert  two 
letters  1  wrote  him  several  weeks  after  ray  incarceration. 


94  MAIUTAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

COPY  OF  THE  LETTER. 
Jacksonville,  JaJy  \±th,  1860,  Sal>baf.h,  P.  M. 
MY  DEAR  CHILDREN  AND  HUSBAND: 

Your  letter  of  July  eleventh  arrived  yesterday.  It  was  the  third 
I  have  received  from  home,  and,  indeed,  is  all  I  have  received  from 
any  source  since  I  came  to  the  Asylum.  And  the  one  you  received 
from  me  is  all  I  have  sent  from  here.  I  thank  you  for  writing  so 
often.  I  shall  be  happy  to  answer  all  letters  from  you,  if  you  desire 
it,  as  I  see  you  do,  by  your  last.  I  like  anything  to  relieve  the 
monotony  of  my. daily  routine.  *  *  * 

Dr.  McFarland  told  me,  after  I  had  been  here  one  week,  "  I  do 
not  think  you  will  remain  but  a  few  days  longer."  I  suspect  he  found 
me  an  unfit  subject,  upon  a  personal  acquaintance  with  me.  Still, 
unfit  as  I  consider  myself,  to  be  numbered  amongst  the  insane,  I  am 
so  numbered  at  my  husband's  request.  And  for  his  sake,  I  must,  until 
my  death,  carry  about  with  me,  "  This  thorn  in  the  flesh — this  mes- 
senger of  Satan  to  buffet  me,"  and  probably,  to  keep  me  humble,  and 
in  my  proper  place.  God  grant  it  may  be  a  sanctified  affliction  to 
me !  I  do  try  to  bear  it,  uncomplainingly,  and  submissively.  But, 

0  !  'tis  hard — 'tis  very  hard.     O,  may  you  never  know  what  it  is  to, 
be  numbered  with  the  insane,  within  the  walls  of  an  insane  asylum, 
not  knowing  as  your  friends  will  ever  regard  you  as  a  fit  companion 
or  associate  for  them  again,  outside  its  walls. 

O,  the  bitter,  bitter  cup,  I  have  been  called  to  drink,  even  to  its 
very  dreg*,  just  because  I  choose  to  obey  God  rather  than  man  !  But, 
as  my  Saviour  said,  "  the  cup  which  my  Father  hath  given  me,  shall 

1  not  drink  it  ?     O,  yes,  for  thy  sake,  kind  Saviour,  I  rejoice,  that  I 
am  counted  worthy  to  suffer  the  loss  of  all  things,  for  thy  sake.    And 
thou  hast  made  me  worthy,  by  thine  own  free  and  sovereign  grace. 
Yes,  dear  Jesus,  I  believe  that  I  have  learned  the  lesson  thou  hast 
thus  taught  me,  that  "in  whatsoever  state  I  am,  therewith  to  be 
content." 

Yes,  content,  to  sit  at  a  table  with  twenty-four  maniacs,  three  times 
a  day,  and  eat  my  bread  and  meat,  and  drink  my  milk  and  water, 
while  I  remember,  almost  each  time,  how  many  vegetables  and  ber- 
ries are  upon  my  own  dear  table  at  home,  and  I  not  allowed  to  taste, 
because  my  husband  counts  me  unworthy,  or  unfit,  or  unsafe,  to  be  an 
inmate  at  his  fireside  and  table.  I  eat,  and  retire,  and  pray  God  to 
keep  me  from  complaining.  My  fare  does  not  agree  with  my  health, 


FALSE  REPORTS  CORRECTED.  9o 

and  so  I  have  begged  of  our  kind  attendants,  to  furnish  me  some 
poor,  shriveled  wheat,  to  keep  in  my  room,  to  eat  raw,  to  keep  my 
bowels  open.  This  morning,  after  asking  a  blessing  at  the  table,  I 
retired  to  my  own  room,  to  eat  my  raw,  hard  wheat  alone,  with  my 
pine-apple  to  soften  it,  or  rather  to  moisten  it  going  down.  Yes,  the 
berries  I  toiled  so  very  hard  to  get  tor  our  health  and  comfort,  I  only 
must  be  deprived  of  them  at  my  husband's  appointment.  The  past, 
O,  the  sad  past !  together  with  the  present,  and  the  unknown  future. 
O,  let  oblivion  cover  the  past — let  no  record  of 'my  wrongs  be  ever 
made,  for  posterity  to  see,  for  your  sake,  my  own  lawful  husband. 

O,  my  dear  precious  children !  how  I  pity  you !  My  heart  aches 
for  you.  But  I  can  do  nothing  for  you.  I  am  your  lather's  victim, 
and  cannot  escape  from  my  prison  to  help  you,  even  you — my  own 
flesh  and  blood — my  heart's  treasures,  my  jewels,  my  honor  and 
rejoicing. 

For  I  do  believe  you  remain  true  to  the  mother  who  loves  you  so 
tenderly,  that  she  would  die  to  save  you  from  the  disgrace  she  has 
brought  upon  your  fair  names,  by  being  stigmatised  as  the  children 
of  an  insane  mother,  whom  your  father  said  he  regarded  as  unsafe, 
as  an  inmate  of  your  own  quiet  home,  and,  therefore,  has  confined 
me  within  these  awful  enclosures. 

O,  may  you  never  know  what  it  is  to  go  to  sleep  within  the  hear- 
ing of  such  unearthly  sounds,  as  can  be  heard  here  almost  at  any 
hour  of  the  night !  I  can  sleep  in  the  hearing  of  it,  for  "  ?o  he  giveth 
his  beloved  sleep."  O,  children  dear,  do  not  be  discouraged  at  my 
sad  fate,  for  well  doing.  But  be  assured  that,  although  you  may 
suffer  in  this  world  for  it,  you  may  be  sure  your  reward  will  come  in 
the  next.  "For,  if  we  suffer  with  him,  we  shall  also  reign  with 
him." 

O,  do  commit  your  souls  to  him  in  well-doing  for  my  sake,  if  you 
dare  not  for  your  own  sake,  for  I  do  entreat  you  to  let  me  be  with 
you  in  heaven,  if  your  father  prevents  it  on  earth. 

I  may  not  have  much  longer  to  suffer  here  on  earth.  Several  in 
our  ward  are  now  sick  in  bed,  and  I  give  them  more  of  my  fruit  than 
I  eat  myself,  hoping  that,  when  my  turn  comes  to  be  sick,  some  one 
may  thus  serve  me.  But  if  not,  I  can  bear  it,  perhaps  better  than 
they  can,  to  be  without  any  solace  or  comfort  in  sickness  here,  such 
as  a  friend  needs.  I  have  nothing  to  live  for  now,  but  to  serve  you, 
as  I  know  of.  But  you  can  get  along  without  me,  can't  you?  Pa 
will  take  care  of  you.  Do  be  kind  to  him,  and  make  him  as  happy 


96  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

as  possible.  Yes,  honor  your  father,  if  he  has  brought  such  dishonor 
upon  your  name  and  reputation. 

I  will  devote  my  energies  to  these  distressed  objects  around  me, 
instead  of  attending  to  your  wants,  as  a  mother  should  be  allowed  to 
do,  at  least,  so  long  as  she  could  do  so,  as  well  as  I  could,  and  did, 
when  I  was  taken  from  you.  I  know  I  could  not,  for  lack  of  physical 
strength,  do  as  much  for  you  as  I  once  could,  still  I  was  willing,  and 
did  do  all  I  could  for  you.  .  Indeed,  I  find  I  am  almost  worn  out  by 
my  sufferings.  I  am  very  weak  and  feeble.  Still,  I  make  no  com- 
plaints, for  I  am  so  much  better  off  than  many  others  here. 

Do  bring  my  poor  lifeless  body  home  when  my  spirit,  which 
troubled  your  father  so  much,  has  fled  to  Jesus'  arms  for  protection, 
and  lay  me  by  my  asparagus  bed,  so  you  can  visit  my  grave,  and 
weep  over  my  sad  fate  in  this  world.  I  do  not  wish  to  be  buried  in 
Shelburne,  but  let  me  rise  where  I  suffered  so  much  for  Christ's  sake. 

O,  do  not,  do  not,  be  weary  in  well  doing,  for,  did  I  not  hope  to 
meet  you  in  heaven,  it  seems  as  though  my  heart  would  break ! 

I  am  useful  here,  I  hope.  Some  of  our  patients  say,  it  is  a  para- 
dise here  now,  compared  with  what  it  was  before  I  came.  The 
authorities  assure  me,  that  I  am  doing  a  great  work  here,  for  the 
institution. 

When  I  had  the  prospect  of  returning  home  in  a  few  days,  as  I 
told  you,  I  begged  with  tears  not  to  send  me,  as  my  husband  would 
have  the  same  reason  for  sending  me  back  as  he  had  for  bringing  me 
here.  For  the  will  of  God  is  still  my  law  and  guide,  so  I  cannot  do 
wrong,  and  until  I  become  insane,  I  can  take  no  other  guide  for  my 
conduct.  Here  I  can  exercise  my  rights  of  conscience,  without 
offending  any  one. 

Yes,  I  am  getting  friends,  from  high  and  low,  rich  and  poor.  I  am 
loved,  and  respected  here  by  all  that  know  me.  I  am  their  confident, 
their  counsellor,  their  bosom  friend.  O,  how  I  love  this  new  circle 
of  friends !  There  are  several  patients  here,  who  are  no  more  insane 
than  I  am ;  but  are  put  here,  like  me,  to  get  rid  of  them.  But  here 
we  can  work  for  God,  and  here  die  for  him. 

Love  to  all  my  children,  and  yourself  also.  I  thank  you  for  the 
fruit,  and  mirror.  It  came  safe.  I  had  bought  one  before. 

I  am  at  rest — and  my  mind  enjoys  that  peace  the  world  cannot  give 
or  take  away.  "When  I  am  gone  to  rest,  rejoice  for  me.  Weep  not 
for  me.  I  am,  and  must  be  forever  happy  in  God's  love. 

The  questions  are  often  asked  me,  "  Why  were  you  sent  here  ?  you 


FALSE  REPORTS  CORRECTED.  97 

are  not  insane.  Did  you  injure  any  one  ?  Did  you  give  up,  and 
neglect  your  duties  ?  Did  you  tear  your  clothes,  and  destroy  your 
things  ?  What  did  you  do  that  made  your  friends  treat  such  a  good 
woman  so  ?"  Let  silence  be  my  only  reply,  for  your  sake,  my  hus- 
band. Now,  my  husband,  do  repent,  and  secure  forgiveness  from  God, 
and  me,  before  it  is  too  late.  Indeed,  I  pity  you  ;  my  soul  weeps  on 
your  account.  But  God  is  merciful,  and  his  mercies  are  great  above 
the  heavens.  Therefore,  do  not  despair ;  by  speedy  repentance 
secure  gospel  peace  to  your  tempest-tossed  soul.  So  prays  your  lov- 
ing wife,  ELIZABETH. 

EXTRACT  FROM  ANOTHER  LETTER. 
MY  DEAR  HUSBAND. 

I  thank  you  kindly  for  writing  me,  and  thus  relieving  my  burdened 
heart,  by  assuring  me  that  my  dear  children  are  alive  and  well.  I 
have  foeen  sadly  burdened  at  the  thought  of  what  they  are  called 
to  suffer  on  their  mother's  account.  Yes,  the  mother's  heart  has  wept 
for  them  every  moment :  yet  my  heart  has  rejoiced  in  God  my  Savior, 
for  to  suffer  as  well  as  to  do  His  holy  will,  is  my  highest  delight,  my 
chief  joy.  Yes,  my  dear  husband,  I  can  say  in  all  sincerity  and  hon- 
esty, "  The  will  of  the  Lord  be  done."  I  can  still  by  his  abundant 
grace  utter  the  true  emotions  of  my  full  heart,  in  the  words  of  my 
favorite  verse,  which  you  all  know  has  been  my  solace  in  times  of 
doubt,  perplexity  and  trial.  It  is  this : 

"  With  cheerful  feet  thy  path  of  duty  run, 

God  nothing  does,  nor  suffers  to  be  done, 

But  what  thou  wouldst  thyself,  couldst  thou  but  see, 

Tlirough  all  events  of  things  as  well  as  He." 

O,  the  consolation  the  tempest  tossed  spirit  feels  in  the  thought  that 
our  Father  is  at  the  helm,  and  that  no  real  harm  can  befall  ua 
with  such  a  pilot  to  direct  our  course.  And  let  me  assure  you  all  for 
your  encouragement,  that  my  own  experience  bears  honest,  practical 
testimony  that  great  peace  they  have  who  make  God  their  shield, 
their  trust,  their  refuge  ;  and  I  can  even  add  that  this  Insane  Asylum 
has  boen  to  me  the  gate  to  Heaven.  *  *  *  » 

By  Dr.  McFarland's  leave,  I  have  established  family  worship  in 
our  hall ;  and  we  never  have  less  than  twelve,  and  sometimes  eighteen 
or  more,  quite  quiet  and  orderly,  while  I  read  and  explain  a  chapter — 
then  join  in  singing  a  hymn — then  kneeling  down,  I  offer  a  prayer, 


98  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

as  long  as  I  usually  do  at  our  own  family  altar.  I  also  implore  the 
blessing  of  God  at  the  table  at  every  meal,  while  twenty-nine  mani- 
acs, as  we  are  called,  silently  join  with  me.  Our  conversation,  for 
the  most  part,  is  intelligent,  and  to  me  most  instructive.  At  first, 
quite  a  spirit  of  discord  seemed  to  pervade  our  circle.  But  now  it  is 
quiet  and  even  cheerful.  I  find  that  we  as  individuals  hold  the 
happiness  of  others  to  a  great  degree  in  our  own  keeping,  and  that 
"  A  merry  heart  doeth  good  like  medicine."  *  *  * 

If  God  so  permit,  I  should  rejoice  to  join  the  dear  circle  at  home, 
and  serve  them  to  the  best  of  my  ability.  "  Nevertheless,  not  as  I 
will,  but  as  Thou  wilt."  I  thank  you,  husband,  for  your  kindness, 
both  past  and  prospective.  Do  forgive  me,  wherein  I  have  wronged 
you,  or  needlessly  injured  your  feelings,  and  believe  me  yours, 

ELIZABETH. 

P.  S.  Tell  the  dear  children  to  trust  God,  by  doing  right. 

I  now  do  frankly  own,  I  am  fully  alienated  from  him,  in  his  pres- 
ent detestable  character,  as  developed  towards  me,  his  lawful  wife. 
And  I  claim  that  it  is  not'  consistent  with  the  laws  of  God's  moral 
government,  for  a  fully  sane  being  to  feel  otherwise. 

But  it  is  not  so  with  my  kindred,  and  other  friends.  I  am  not 
alienated  from  them,  for  I  have  had  no  just  and  adequate  cause  for 
alienation.  They  erred  ignorantly,  not  willfully.  They  were  willing 
to  know  the  truth ;  they  were  convicted,  and  are  now  converted  to  the 
truth.  They  have  confessed  their  sin  against  me  in  thus  neglecting 
me,  and  have  asked  my  forgiveness.  I  have  most  freely  forgiven 
them,  and  such  penitents  are  fully  restored  to  my  full  fellowship  and 
confidence.  To  pro^e  they  are  penitent,  one  confession  will  serve  as 
a  fair  representation  of  the  whole.  I  give  it  in  the  writer's  own 
words,  verbatim,  from  the  letter  now  before  me.  "We  are  all  glad 
you  have  been  to  visit  us,  and  we  regret  we  have  not  tried  to  do 
more  for  you,  in  times  past.  I  am  grieved  that  you  have  been  left  to 
suffer  so  much  alone — had  we  known,  I  think  something  would  have 
been  done  for  you.  Forgive  us,  won't  you,  for  our  cruel  neglect?" 
Yes,  I  do  rejoice  to  forgive  them,  for  Christ  allows  me  to  forgive  the 
penitent  transgressor.  But  he  does  not  allow  me  to  do  better  than 
he  does — to  forgive  the  impenitent  transgressor.  And  I  do  not ;  but 
as  I  have  before  said.  I  stand  ready  with  my  forgiveness  in  my  hear* 
to  ektend  it  to  him,  most  freely,  on  this  gospel  condition  of  repeat 
ance — practical  repentance. 


FALSE  REPORTS  CORRECTED.  99 

FIFTH  REPORT. 

"  Dr.  McFarland,  the  Superintendent  of  the  Asylum,  says  she  is 
insane ;  and  he  ought  to  know" 

Yes,  he  ought  to  know.  But,  in  my  opinion,  Dr.  McFarland,  does 
not  know  a  sane  from  an  insane  person ;  or  else,  why  does  he  keep  so 
many  in  that  Asylum,  as  sane  as  himself?  And  mine  is  not  the  first 
case  a  court  and  jury  differed  from  him  in  opinion  on  this  subject. 
He  has  been  so  long  conversant  with  the  insane,  that  he  has  become 
a  perfect  monomaniac  on  insanity  and  in  his  treatment  of  the  insane. 
I  never  saw  such  inhumanity,  and  cruelty,  and  barbarity,  practiced 
towards  the  innocent  and  helpless  as  he  sanctions  and  allows  in  that 
Asylum.  I  could  write  a  large  volume  in  confirmation  of  this  asser- 
tion, made  up  of  scenes  I  myself  witnessed,  during  my  three  years' 
incarceration  in  that  terrible  place.  The  material  i?  all  on  hand  for 
such  a  book,  since  I  kept  a  secret  journal  of  daily  events,  just  as 
they  occurred,  so  that  my  memory  is  not  my  only  laboratory  of  such 
truths.  And  in  arranging  this  matter  for  a  book,  I  intend  to  turn 
Jacksonville  Asylum  inside  out.  That  is,  I  shall  report  that  Asylum 
from  the  standpoint  of  a  patient,  and  if  this  book  don't  prove  my 
assertion  that  Dr.  McFarland  is  a  monomaniac,  I  am  sure  it  will 
prove  him  to  be  something  worse.  But  I  claim  to  defend  his  heart 
from  the  charge  of  villainy,  and  his  intellect  from  imbecility,  for  I 
have  often  said  of  him,  "  Dr.  McFarland  is  the  greatest  man  I  ever 
saw,  and  he  would  be  the  best  if  he  wasn't  so  bad  !  " 

But  this  is  not  the  place  to  make  a  defence  for  Dr.  McFarland. 
Let  him  stand  where  his  own  actions  put  him,  for  that  is  the  only 
proper  place  for  either  superintendent  or  patient  to  stand  upon.  But 
I  will  own,  God  made  him  fit  for  one  of  his  great  resplendent  lumi- 
naries ;  but  Satan  has  marred  this  noble  orb,  so  that  now  it  has  some 
very  dark  spots  on  its  disk,  such  as  his  patients  can  behold  with- 
out the  aid  of  a  telescope !  Yes,  as  a  general  thing,  his  patients 
are  not  allowed  to  behold  anything  else  but  these  dark  spots,  while 
the  public  are  allowed  to  see  nothing  except  the  splendors  of  this 
luminary.  And  when  my  telescopic  book  is  in  print,  the  public  may 
look,  or  not  look,  at  the  scenes  behind  the  curtain,  just  as  they  please. 
The  exact  scenes  are  now  fully  daguerreotyped  on  my  brain  and  heart 
both,  as  well  as  on  my  manuscript  journal.  In  this  volume  I  am  only 
allowed  to  report  what  relates  to  myself  alone.  Therefore  I  haVe  but 
little  to  say ;  for  as  it  respects  his  treatment  of  me,  individually,  I 


103  MAK1TAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

regard  him  as  a  practical  penitent,  and  on  this  basis,  I  have  really 
forgiven  him.  And  God  only  knows  what  a  multitude  of  sins  this 
man's  repentance  has  covered!  And  my  Christianity  forbids  my  ex- 
posing the  sins  of  a  practical  penitent,  after  having  practicalb'  for- 
given him. 

As  proof  of  his  penitence,  I  bring  this  fact,  that  it  was  under  his 
superintendence,  and  by  his  consent  alone,  that  I  was  permitted  to 
spend  the  last  nine  mouths  of  my  prison  life  in  writing  "  The  Great 
Drama."  This  book  was  commenced  as  an  act  of  self-Jefence  from 
the  charge  of  insanity,  and  this  man  was  the  first  person  in  America 
that  ever  before  allowed  me  any  right  of  self-defence.  And  this  act 
of  practical  manliness  on  his  part,  awakened,  as  its  response,  my  full 
and  hearty  forgiveness  of  all  the  wrongs  he  had  hitherto  heaped  upon 
me ;  and  these  wrongs  had  not  been  "  like  angels  visits,  few  and  far 
between."  But  I  had,  in  reality,  much  to  forgive.  At  least,  so 
thought  my  personal  friends  at  the  Asylum,  if  their  words  echoed 
their  real  feelings.  Their  feelings  on  this  subject  were  not  unfre- 
quently  uttered  in  very  strong  language  like  the  following :  "  If  Mrs. 
Packard  can  forgive  Dr.  McFarland  all  the  wrongs  and  abuses  he 
has  heaped  upon  her  she  must  be  more  than  human."  And  I  now 
have  before  me  a  letter  from  one  who  had  been  for  several  years  an 
officer  in  that  institution,  from  which  I  will  make  an  extract,  as  it 
corroborates  this  point.  She  says,  "  How  the  mind  wanders  back  to 
those  dark  hours.  O,  that  hated  letter !  once  presented  you  by  a 

,  who  delighted  to  torture  those  he  could  not  subdue.  Our 

hearts  did  pity  you,  Mrs.  Packard.  Mrs.  Tenny,(now  the  wife  of  the 
then  assistant  physician,  but  my  attendant  at  the  time  referred  to,) 
and  myself  often  said,  everything  was  done  that  could  be,  to  annihi- 
late and  dethrone  your  reason.  Poor  child!  They  had  all  fled — 
none  to  watch  one  hour !  All  I  have  to"  say  is,  if  there  can  be  found 
man  or  woman  who  could  endure  what  you  did  in  that  three  years, 
and  not  become  a  raving  maniac,  they  should  be  canonized." 

Yes,  God,  God  alone,  saved  me  from  the  awful  vortex  Mr.  Pack- 
ard and  Dr.  McFarland  had  prepared  for  me — the  vortex  of  ob- 
livion— God  has  delivered  me  from  them  who  were  stronger  than  I, 
and  to  his  cause,  the  cause  of  oppressed  humanity,  for  which  I  there 
suffered  so  much  in  its  defence,  I  do  now  consecrate  my  spared  in- 
tellect, and  reason,  and  moral  power. 

Tin's  "  Great  Drama,"  written  there,  is  my  great  battery,  which, 
hi  God's  providence,  I  hope  sometime  to  get  rich  enough  to  publish; 


FALSE   REPORTS    CORRECTED.  101 

and  it  is  to  the  magnanimity  of  Dr.  McFarland  alone,  under  God, 
that  m;>  thanks  are  due,  for  letting  me  write  this  book.  He  dictated 
none  o  it.  He  allowed  me  perfect  spiritual  liberty,  in  penning  this 
voluminous  literary  production  of  seven  hundred  pages ;  and  if  ever 
there  was  a  book  written  wholly  untrammelled  by  human  dictation, 
this  is  the  book.  But.  as  I  said,  his  magnanimity,  even  at  the  elev- 
enth hour,  has,  so  far  as  I  am  concerned,  secured  my  forgiveness. 

But  he  has  been,  and  I  fear  still  is,  a  great  sinner  against  others, 
also ;  for,  as  I  have  often  said,  it  is  my  candid  opinion,  that  there 
were  fifty  in  that  house,  as  patients,  who  have  no  more  right  to  be 
there  than  the  Doctor  himself.  Judging  them  from  their  own  actions 
and  words,  there  is  no  more  evidence  of  insanity  in  them,  than  in  Dr. 
McFarland's  words  and  actions.  He  certainly  has  no  scruples  about 
keeping  perfectly  sane  persons  as  patients.  At  first,  this  was  to  me 
an  enigma  I  could  not  possible  solve.  But  now  I  can,  on  the  suppo- 
sition that  he  don't  know  a  sane  from  an  insane  person,  because  he 
has  become  a  monomaniac  on  this  subject,  just  as  Mr.  Packard  has 
on  the  woman  question.  The  Doctor's  insane  dogmas  are,  first :  all 
people  are  insane  on  some  points ;  second :  insane  persons  have  no 
rights  that  others  are  bound  to  respect 

He  has  never  refused  any  one's  application  on  the  ground  of  their 
not  being  insane,  to  my  knowledge,  but  he  has  admitted  many  whom 
he  admitted  were  not  near  as  insane  as  the  friends  who  brought  them 
were.  He  can  see  insanity  in  any  one  where  it  will  be  for  his  in- 
terest to  see  it.  And  let  him  put  any  one  through  the  insane  treat- 
ment he  subjects  his  patients  to,  and  they  are  almost  certain  to  mani- 
fest some  resentment,  before  the  process  is  complete.  And  this  nat- 
ural resentment  which  his  process  evokes,  is  what  he  calls  their  in- 
sanity, or  rather  evidence  of  it.  I  saw  the  operation  of  his  nefarious 
system  before  I  had  been  there  long,  and  I  determined  to  stand  proof 
against  it,  by  restraining  all  manifestations  of  my  resentful  feelings, 
which  his  insults  to  me  were  designed  to  develop.  And  this  is  his 
grand  failure  in  my  case.  He  has  no  capital  to  make  out  his  charge 
upon,  so  far  as  my  own  actions  are  concerned.  No  one  ever  saw  me 
exhibit  the  least  angry,  resentful  feelings.  I  say  that  to  God's  grace 
alone  is  this  result  due.  I  maintain,  his  treatment  of  his  patients  is 
barbarous  and  criminal  in  many  cases ;  therefore  he  shows  insanity 
in  his  conduct  towards  them. 

Again,  he  does  not  always  tell  the  truth  about  his  patients,  nor  to 
his  patients.  And  this  is  another  evidence  of  his  insanity.  I  do  say, 


11)2  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

Iving  is  insanity  ;  and  if  I  can  ever  be  proved  to  be  a  liar,  by  my 
own  words  or  actions,  I  do  insist  upon  it  I  merit  the  charge  put  upon 
me  of  monomania,  or  insanity.  But,  speaking  the  truth,  and  nothing 
but  the  truth,  is  not  lying,  even  if  people  do  not  believe  my  asser- 
tions. For  the  truth  will  stand  without  testimony,  and  in  spite  of  all 
contradiction.  And  when  one  has  once  been  proved  to  have  lied, 
they  have  no  claims  on  us  to  be  believed,  when  they  do  speak  the 
truth.  Were  I  called  to  prove  my  assertion  that  the  Doctor  misrep- 
resents, I  could  do  so,  by  his  own  letters  to  my  husband,  and  my 
father,  now  in  my  possession,  and  by  letters  Mr.  Field  had  from  him 
while  I  was  in  the  Asylum.  For  example,  why  did  he  write  to  Mr. 
Field  that  I  "  was  a  dangerous  patient,  not  safe  to  live  in  any  private 
family,"  and  then  refuse  to  answer  direct  questions  calling  for  evi- 
dence in  proof  on  this  point,  and  give  as  his  reason,  that  he  did  not 
deem  it  his  duty  to  answer  impertinent  questions  about  his  patients  ? 
Simply  because  the  assertion  was  a  lie,  and  had  nothing.to  support  or 
defend  it,  in  facts,  as  they  existed.  These  letters  abound  in  misrep- 
resentations and  falsehoods  respecting  me,  and  it  is  no  wonder  my 
friends  regarded  me  as  insane,  on  these  representations  from  the  Su- 
perintendent of  a  State  Asylum. 

I  have  every  reason  to  think  Dr.  McFarland  believes,  in  his  heart, 
that  I  am  entirely  sane ;  but  policy  and  self-interest  has  prompted 
him  to  deny  it  in  words,  hoping  thus  to  destroy  the  influence  of  the 
sad  truths  I  utter  respecting  the  character  of  that  institution.  A  very 
intelligent  employee  in  that  institution,  and  one  who  had,  by  her  posi- 
tion, peculiar  advantages  for  knowing  the  real  state  of  feeling  towards 
me  in  that  institution,  once  said  to  me,  "  Mrs.  Packard,  I  can  assure 
you,  that  there  is  not  a  single  individual  in  this  house  who  believes 
you  are  an  insane  person ;  and  as  for  Dr.  McFarland  he  knows  you 
are  not,  whatever  he  may  choose  to  say  upon  the  subject." 

One  thing  is  certain,  his  actions  contradict  his  words,  in  this  mat- 
ter. Would  an  insane  person  be  employed  by  him  to  carry  his  pa- 
tients to  ride,  and  drive  the  team  with  a  whole  load  of  crazy  women, 
with  no  one  to  help  take  care  of  them  and  the  team  but  herself? 
And  yet  Dr.  McFarland  employed  me  to  do  this  very  thing  fourteen 
times ;  and  I  always  came  back  safely  with  them,  and  never  abused 
my  liberty,  by  dropping  a  letter  into  the  post-office,  or  any  thing  of  the 
kind,  and  never  abused  the  confidence  reposed  in  me  in  any  manner. 

Would  he  give  a  crazy  woman  money  to  go  to  the  city,  and  make 
purchases  for  herself?  And  yet  he  did  so  by  me.  Would  a  crazy 


,         FALSE   REPORTS    CORRECTED.  103 

woman  be  employed  to  make  purchases  for  the  house,  and  use  as  a 
reason  for  employing  her,  that  her  judgment  was  superior  to  any  in 
the  house  ?  And  yet  this  is  true  of  me.  Would  a  crazy  woman  be 
employed  to  cut,  fit  and  make  his  wife's  and  daughter's  best  dresses, 
instead  of  a  dressmaker,  because  she  could  do  them  better,  in  their 
opinion,  than  any  dressmaker  they  could  employ  ?  And  yet  I  was 
thus  employed  for  several  weeks,  and  for  this  reason.  And  would 
his  wife  have  had  her  tailoress  consult  my  judgment,  before  cutting 
her  boy's  clothes,  and  give  as  her  reason,  that  she  preferred  my 
judgment  and  planning  before  her  own,  if  I  was  an  insane  person  ? 
And  yet  she  did. 

Would  the  officials  send  their  employees  to  me  for  help,  in  execut- 
ing orders  which  exceeded  the  capacity  of  their  own  judgment  to  per- 
form, if  they  considered  my  reason  and  judgment  as  impaired  by 
insanity  ?  And  yet  this  was  often  the  case.  Would  the  remark  be 
often  made  by  the  employees  in  that  institution,  that  "  Mrs.  Packard 
was  better  fitted  to  be  the  matron  of  the  institution  than  any  one 
under  that  roof,"  if  I  had  been  treated  and  regarded  as  an  insane 
person  by  the  officials  ?  And  yet  this  remark  was  common  there. 

No.  Dr.  McFarland  did  not  treat  me  as  an  insane  person,  until  I 
had  been*there  four  months,  when  he  suddenly  changed  his  pro- 
gramme entirely,  by  treating  me  like  an  insane  person,  and  ordering 
the  employees  to  do  so  to,  which  order  he  could  never  enforce,  ex- 
cept in  one  single  instance,  and  this  attendant  soon  after  became  a 
lunatic  and  a  tenant  of  the  poor  house.  My  attendants  said  they 
should  not  treat  me  as  they  did  the  other  patients,  if  the  Doctor  did 
order  it. 

The  reason  for  this  change  in  the  Doctor's  treatment,  was  not 
because  of  any  change  in  my  conduct  or  deportment  in  any  respect, 
but  because  I  offended  him,  by  a  reproof  I  gave  him  for  his  abuse  of 
his  patients,  accompanied  by  the  threat  to  expose  him  unless  he 
repented.  I  gave  this  reproof  in  writing,  and  retained  a  copy  my- 
self, by  hiding  it  behind  my  mirror,  between  it  and  the  board-back. 
Several  thousand  copies  of  which  are  now  in  circulation.  After  this  event, 
I  was  closeted  among  the  maniacs,  and  did  not  step  my  foot  upon  the 
ground  again,  until  I  was  discharged,  two  years  and  eight  months 
afterwards.  When  he  transferred  me  from  the  best  ward  to  the 
worst  ward,  he  ordered  my  attendants  to  treat  me  just  as  they  did 
their  other  patients,  except  to  not  let  me  go  out  of  the  ward; 
although  all  the  others  could  go  to  ride  and  walk,  except  myself. 


104  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

Had  I  not  known  how  to  practice  the  laws  of  health,  this  clo*e  con- 
finement would  doubtless  have  been  fatal  to  my  good  health  and 
strong  nerves.  But  as  it  was,  both  are  still  retained  in  full  vigor. 

My  correspondence  was  henceforth  put  under  the  strictest  censor- 
ship, and  but  few  of  my  letters  ever  went  farther  than  the  Doctor's 
office,  and  most  of  the  letters  sent  to  me  never  came  nearer  me  than 
his  office.  When  I  became  satisfied  of  this,  I  stopped  writing  at  all 
to  any  one,  until  I  got  an  "  Under  Ground  Express  "  established, 
through  which  my  mail  passed  out,  but  not  in. 

One  incident  I  will  here  mention  to  show  how  strictly  and  vigi- 
lantly my  correspondence  with  the  world  was  watched.  There  was 
a  patient  in  my  ward  to  be  discharged  ere  long,  to  go  to  her  home 
near  Manteno,  and  she  offered  to  take  anything  to  my  children,  if  I 
chose  to  send  anything  by  her.  Confident  I  could  not  get  a  letter 
out  through  her,  without  being  detected,  I  made  my  daughter  some 
under  waists,  and  embroidered  them,  for  a  present  to  her  from  her 
mother.  On  the  inside  of  these  bleached  cotton  double  waists,  I  pen- 
cilled a  note  to  her,  for  her  and  my  own  solace  and  comfort.  I  then 
gave  these  into  the  hands  of  this  patient,  and  she  took  them  and  put 
them  into  her  bosom  saying,  "  The  Doctor  shall  never  see  these." 
But  just  as  she  was  leaving  the  house,  the  Doctor  asked  her,  if  she 
had  any  letter  from  Mrs.  Packard  to  her  children  with  her?  She 
said  she  had  not. 

He  then  asked  her,  "  Have  you  had  anything  from  Mrs.  Packard 
with  you  ?  " 

She  said,  "  I  have  two  embroidered  waists,  which  Mrs.  Packard 
wished  me  to  carry  to  her  daughter,  as  a  present 'from  her  mother ; 
but  nothing  else." 

"  Let  me  see  those  waists,"  said  he. 

She  took  them  from  her  bosom  and  handed  them  to  him.  He  saw 
the  penciling.  He  read  it,  and  ordered  the  waists  to  the  laundry  to 
be  washed  before  sending  them,  so  that  no  heart  communications 
from  the  mother  to  the  child,  could  go  with  them.  I  believe  he  sent 
them  afterwards  by  Dr.  Eddy. 

In  regard  to  Dr.  McFarland's  individual  guilt  in  relation  to  his 
treatment  of  me,  justice  to  myself  requires  me  to  add,  that  I  cherish 
no  feelings  of  resentment  towards  him,  and  the  worst  wish  my  heart 
dictates  towards  him  is,  that  he  may  repent,  and  become  the  "  Model 
Man  "  his  nobly  developed  capacities  have  fitted  him  to  become ;  for 


FALSE  REPORTS  CORRECTED  103 

he  is,  as  I  have  said,  the  greatest  man  I  ever  saw,  and  he  would  be 
the  best  if  he  wasn't  so  bad  ! 

And  the  despotic  treatment  his  patients  receive  und°r  his  govern- 
ment, is  only  the  natural  result  of  one  of  the  fundamental  laws  of  hu- 
man nature,  in  its  present  undeveloped  state ;  which  is,  that  the  his- 
tory of  our  race  for  six  thousand  years  demonstrates  the  fact,  that 
absolute,  unlimited  power  always  tends  towards  despotism — or  an 
usurpation  and  abuse  of  other's  rights.  Dr.  McFarland  has,  in  a 
practical  sense,  a  sovereignty  delegated  to  him,  by  the  insane  laws, 
almost  as  absolute  as  the  marital  power,  which  the  law  delegates  to 
the  husband.  All  of  the  inalienable  rights  of  his  patients  are  as 
completely  subject  to  his  single  will,  in  the  practical  operation  of 
these  laws,  as  are  the  rights  of  a  married  woman  to  the  will  of  her 
husband.  And  these  despotic  superintendents  and  husbands  in  the 
exercise  of  this  power,  are  no  more  guilty,  in  my  opinion,  than  that 
power  is  which  licenses  this  deleterious  element.  No  Republican 
government  ought  to  permit  an  absolute  monarchy  to  be  established 
under  its  jurisdiction.  And  wtiere  it  is  found  to  exist,  it  ought  to  be 
destroyed,  forthwith.  And  where  this  licensed  power  is  known  to 
have  culminated  into  a  despotism,  which  is  crushing  humanity,  really 
and  practically,  that  government  is  guilty  in  this  matter,  so  long  as  it 
tolerates  this  usurpation. 

Therefore,  while  the  superintendents  are  guilty  in  abusing  their 
power,  I  say  that  government  which  sustains  oppression  by  its  laws, 
is  the  first  transgressor.  Undoubtedly  our  insane  asylums  were  orig- 
inally designed  and  established,  as  humane  institutions,  and  for  a 
very  humane  and  benevolent  purpose ;  but,  on  their  present  basis, 
they  really  cover  and  shield  many  wrongs,  which  ought  to  be  ex- 
posed and  redressed.  It  is  the  evils  which  cluster  about  these  insti- 
tutions, and  these  alone,  which  I  am  intent  on  bringing  into  public 
view,  for  the  purpose  of  having  them  destroyed.  All  the  good 
which  inheres  in  these  institutions  and  officers  is  just  as  precious  as 
if  not  raided  with  the  alloy;  therefore,  in  destroying  the  alloy,  great 
care  should  be  used  not  to  tarnish  or  destroy  the  fine  gold  with  it. 
As  my  case  demonstrates,  they  are  now  sometimes  used  for  inquisi- 
tional purposes,  which  certainly  is  a  great  perversion  of  their  original 
intent. 


106  MARITAL  POWER  EXEMPLIFIED. 

SIXTH  REPORT. 

"  Mrs.  Packard's  statements  are-  incredible.  And  she  uses  such 
strong  language  in  giving  them  expression,  as  demonstrates  her  still 
to  be  an  in=ane  woman." 

I  acknowledge  the  fact,  that  truth  is  stranger  than  fiction ;  and  I 
also  assert,  that  it  is  my  candid  opinion,  that  strong  language  is  the 
only  appropriate  drapery  some  truths  can  be  clothed  in.  For  exam- 
ple, the  only  appropriate  drapery  to  clothe  a  lie  in,  is  the  strong  lan- 
guage of  lie  or  liar,  not  misrepresentation,  a  mistake,  a  slip  of  the 
tongue,  a  deception,  an  unintentional  error,  and  so  forth.  And  for 
unreasonable,  and  inhuman,  and  criminal  acts,  the  appropriate  dra- 
pery is,  insane  acts ;  and  an  usurpation  of  human  rights  and  an 
abuse  of  power  over  the  defenceless,  is  appropriately  clothed  by  the 
term,  Despotism.  And  one  who  defends  his  creed  or  party  by  im- 
proper and  abusive  means,  is  a  Bigot.  One  who  is  impatient  and 
unwilling  to  endure,  and  will  not  hear  the  utterance  of  opinions  in 
conflict  with  his  own,  without  persecution  of  his  opponent,  is  Intol- 
erant towards  him ;  and  this  is  an  appropriate  word  to  use  in  describ- 
ing such  manifestations. 

And  here  I  will  add,  I  do  not  write  books  merely  to  tickle  the 
fancy,  and  lull  the  guilty  conscience  into  a  treacherous  sleep,  whose 
waking  is  death.  Nor  do  I  write  to  secure  notoriety  or  popularity. 
But  I  do  write  to  defend  the  cause  of  human  rights ;  and  these  rights 
can  never  be  vindicated,  without  these  usurpations  be  exposed  to 
public  view,  so  that  an  appeal  can  be  made  to  the  public  conscience  ? 
on  the  firm  basis  of  unchangeable  truth — the  truth  of  facts  as  they 
do  actually  exist.  I  know  there  is  a  class,  but  I  fondly  hope  they  are 
the  minority,  who  will  resist  this  solid  basis  even — who  would  not 
believe  the  truth  should  Christ  himself  be  its  medium  of  utterance 
and  defence.  But  shall  I  on  this  account  withold  the  truth,  lest  such 
cavilers  reject  it,  and  trample  it  Under  foot,  and  then  turn  and  rend 
me  with  the  stigma  of  insanity,  because  I  told  them  the  simple  truth  ? 
By  no  means.  For  truth  is  not  insanity ;  and  though  it  may  for  a 
time  be  crushed  to  the  earth,  it  shall  rise  again  with  renovated 
strength  and  power.  Neither  is  strong  and  appropriate  language 
insanity.  But  on  the  contrary,  I  maintain  that  strong  language  is 
the  only  suitable  and  appropriate  drapery  for  a  reformer  to  clothe 
his  thoughts  in,  notwithstanding  the  very  unsuitable  and  inappropri- 


NOTE    OF   THANKS.  107 

ate  stigma  of  Insanity  which  has  always  been  the  reformer's  lot  to 
bear  for  so  doing  in  all  past  ages,  as  well  as  the  present  age. 

Even  Christ  himself  bore  this  badge  of  a  Reformer,  simply  be- 
cause he  uttered  truths  which  conflicted  with  the  established  religion 

O 

of  the  church  of  his  day.  And  shall  I  repine  because  I  am  called 
insane  for  the  same  reason  ?  It  was  the  spirit  of  bigotry  which  led 
the  intolerant  Jews  to  stigmatize  Christ  as  a  madman,  because  he 
expressed  opinions  differing  from  their  own.  And  it  is  this  same 
spirit  of  bigotry  which  has  been  thus  intolerant  towards  me.  And  it 
is  my  opinion  that  bigotry  is  the  most  implacable,  unreasonable,  un- 
merciful feeling  that  can  possess  the  human  soul.  And  it  is  my  fer- 
vent prayer  that  the  eyes  of  this  government  may  be  opened  to  see, 
that  the  laws  do  not  now  protect  or  shield  any  married  woman  from 
this  same  extreme  manifestation  of  it,  such  as  it  has  been  my  sad  lot  to 
endure,  as  the  result  of  this  legalized  persecution. 


NOTE  OF  THANKS  TO  MY  PATRONS. 

I  deem  it  appropriate  in  this  connection,  to  express  the  gratitude  I 
feel  for  the  kind,  practical  sympathy,  and  liberal  patronage,  which 
has  been  extended  to  me  by  the  public,  through  the  sale  of  my 
books.  Had  it  not  been  for  your  generous  patronage,  my  kind  pat- 
rons, I,  and  the  noble  cause  I  represent,  would  have  been  crushed  to 
the  earth,  so  far  as  my  influence  was  concerned.  For  with"  no  law  to 
shield  me,  and  with  no  "  greenbacks  "  to  defend  myself  with,  what 
could  I  have  done  to  escape  another  imprisonment,  either  in  some 
asylum  or  poor  house  ? 

It  has  been,  and  still  is,  the  verdict  of  public  sentiment,  which  the 
circulation  of  these  "books  has  developed,  that  has  hitherto  shielded  me 
from  a  second  kidnapping.  And  this  protection  you  have  kindly 
secured  to  me  by  buying  my  books.  I  would  willingly  have  given 
my  books  a  gratuitous  circulation  to  obtain  this  protection,  if  I  could 
possibly  have  done  so.  But  where  could  the  $3000.00  I  have  paid 
out  for  the  expense  of  printing  and  circulating  these  books  have  been 
obtained  ?  No  one  could  advance  me  money  safely,  so  long  as  I  was 
Mr.  Packard's  lawful  wife,  and  I  could  not  even  get  a  divorce,  with- 
out the  means  for  prosecuting  the  suit.  Indeed,  it  was  your  patron- 
age alone,  which  could  effectually  help  me  on  to  a  self-reliant  plat- 
form— the  platform  of  "  greenback  independence." 


108  MAK1TAL    POTVER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

I  have  never  made  any  appeal  to  the  charities  of  the  public,  neither 
can  I  do  so,  from  principle.  For  so  long  as  I  retain  as  good  health 
as  it  is  my  blessed  privilege  still  to  enjoy,  I  feel  conscientiously  bound 
to  work  for  my  living,  instead  of  living  on  the  toil  of  olhers..  My 
strong  and  vigorous  health  is  the  only  capital  that  I  can  call  my  own. 
All  my  other  natural,  inalienable  rights,  are  entirely  in  the  hands 
of  my  persecutor,  and  subject  to  his  control.  But  while  this  capital 
holds  good,  I  am  not  a  suitable  object  of  charity.  I  am  prosecuting 
business  on  business  principles,  and  I  am  subject  to  the  same  laws 
of  success  or  failure  as  other  business  persons  are.  I  intend,  and 
hope  to  make  my  business  lucrative  and  profitable,  as  well  as  phi- 
lanthropic and  benevolent. 

I  maintain  that  I  have  no  claims  upon  the  charities  of  the  public 
while  at  the  same  time  I  maintain  that  I  have  a  claim  upon  the  sym- 
pathies of  our  government.  It  is  our  government,  the  man  govern- 
ment of  America,  who  have  placed  me  in  my  deplorable  condition  ; 
for  I  am  just  where  their  own  laws  place  me,  and  render  all  other 
married  women  liable  to  be  placed  in  the  same  position.  It  is  the 
"  Common  Law "  which  our  government  took  from  English  laws 
which  makes  a  nonentity  of  a  married  woman,  whose  existence  is 
wholly  subject  to  another,  and  whose  identity  is  only  recognized 
through  another.  In  short,  the  wife  is  dead,  while  her  husband 
lives,  as  to  any  legal  existence.  And  where  the  Common  Law  is 
not  modified,  or  set  aside  by  the  Statute  Laws,  this  worst  form 
of  English  despotism  is  copied  as  a  model  law  for  our  American 
people ! 

Yes,  I  feel  that  I  have  a  just  claim  upon  the  sympathies  of  our 
government.  Therefore,  in  selling  my  books,  I  have  almost  entirely 
confined  my  application  to  the  men,  not  the  women,  for  the  men 
alone  constitute  the  American  government.  And  my  patrons  have 
responded  to  my  claims  upon  their  sympathy,  in  a  most  generous, 
and  praiseworthy  manner.  Yea,  so  almost  universally  have  I  met 
with  the  sympathy  of  those  gentlemen  that  I  have  freely  conversed 
with  on  this  subjec-t,  that  I  cherish  the  firm  conviction,  that  our  whole 
enlightened  government  would  "  en  masse,"  espouse  the  principles  I 
defend,  and  grant  all,  and  even  more  than  I  ask  for  married  woman, 
could  they  but  see  the  subject  in  the  light  those  now  do,  whom  I  have 
conversed  with  on  this  subject.  I  am  fully  satisfied  that  all  that  our 
manly  government  needs  to  induce  them  to  change  this  "  Common 
Law"  in  relation  to  woman  is,  only  to  know  what  this  law  is,  and 


NOTE    OF    THANKS.  109 

how  cruelly  it  subjects  the  women  in  its  practical  application.  For 
man  is  made,  and  constituted  by  God  himself,  to  be  the  protector 
of  woman.  And  when  he  is  true  to  this  his  God  given  nature,  he  is 
her  protector.  And  all  true  men  who  have  not  perverted  or  de- 
praved their  God-like  natures,  will,  arid  do,  as  instinctively  protect 
their  own  wives,  as  they  do  themselves.  And  the  wives  of  such  men 
do  not  need  any  other  law,  than  this  law  of  manliness,  to  protect  them 
or  their  interests. 

But  taking  the  human  race  as  they  now  are,  we  find  sorr.e  excep- 
tions to  this  general  rule.  And  it  is  for  these  exceptions  that  the  law 
is  needed,  and  not  for  the  great  masses.  Just  as  the  laws  against 
crimes  are  made  for  the  criminals,  not  for  the  masses  of  society,  for 
they  do  not  need  them ;  they  are  a  law  unto  themselves,  having  their 
own  consciences  for  their  Judges  and  Jurors.  I  see  no  ca.ulid,  just 
reason  why  usurpation,  and  injustice,  and  oppression,  should  not  be 
legislated  against,  in  this  form,  as  well  as  any  other.  Developed,  re- 
fined, sensitive  woman,  is  as  capable  of  feeling  wrongs  as  any  other 
human  being.  And  why  should  she  not  be  legally  protected  from 
them  as  well  as  a  man  ?  My  confidence  in  this  God-like  principle 
of  manliness  is  almost  unbounded.  Therefore  I  feel  that  a  hint  is 
all  that  is  needed,  to  arouse  this  latent  principle  of  our  government 
into  prompt  and  efficient  action,  that  of  extending  legal  protection  to 
subjected  married  woman. 

There  is  one  word  I  will  here  say  to  my  patrons,  who  have  the 
first  in.-tallment  of  my  "  Great  Drama  "  in  their  possession,  that  you 
have  doubtless  found  many  things  in  that  book  which  you  cannot  now 
understand,  and  are  therefore  liable  to  misinterpret  and  misappre- 
hend my  real  meaning.  I  therefore  beg  of  you  not  to  judge'  me 
harshly  at  present,  but  please  suspend  your  judgment  until  this  alle- 
gory is  published  entire,  and  then  you  will  be  better  prepared  to  pass 
judgm.  >nt  upon  it.  Supposing  Bunyan's  allegory  of  his  Christian  pil- 
grim had  isolated  parts  of  it  published,  separate  from  the  whole,  and 
we  know  no:hing  about  the  rest,  should  we  not  be  liable  to  misinter- 
pret his  real  moaning  ? 

Another  thing,  I  ask  you  to  bear  in  mind,  this  book  was  wr'tten 
when  my  mind  was  at  its  culminating  point  of  spiritual  or  ia< -nlal  tor- 
ture, as  it  were,  and  this  may  serve  in  your  mind  as  an  excusr,  for 
what  nvay  seem  to  you,  as  extravagant  expressions;  while  tome,  they 
were  only  the  simple  truth  as  I  experienced  it.  No  one  can  judge 
of  these  feelings  correctly,  until  they  have  been  in  my  exact  place 


110  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

and  position ;  and  since  this  is  an  impossibility,  you  have  a  noble  op- 
portunity for  the  exercise  of  that  charity  towards  me  which  you  would 
like  to  have  extended  to  yourselves  in  exchange  of  situations. 

A  person  under  extreme  physical  torture,  gives  utterance  to  strong 
expressions,  indicating  extreme  anguish.  Have  we,  on  this  account, 
any  reason  or  right  to  call  him  insane  ?  So  a  person  in  extreme  spir- 
itual or  mental  agony,  has  a  right  to  express  his  feelings  in  language 
corresponding  to  his  condition,  and  we  have  no  right  to  call  him  in- 
sane for  doing  so.  -  <£.  " 

Upon  a  calm  and  candid  review  of  these  scenes,  from  my  present 
standpoint,  I  do  maintain  that  the  indignant  feelings  which  I  still 
cherish  towards  Mr.  Packard,  and  did  cherish  towards  Dr.  McFar- 
land,  tor  their  treatment  of  me,  were  not  only  natural,  sane  feelings, 
but  also  were  Christian  feelings.  For  Christ  taught  us,  both  by  his 
teachings  and  example,  that  we  ought  to  be  angry  at  sin,  and  even 
hate  it,  with  as  marked  a  feeling  as  we  loved  good.  "  I,  the  Lord, 
hate  evil."  And  so  should  we.  But  at  the  same  time  we  should  not 
sin,  by  carrying  this  feeling  so  far,  as  to  desire  to  revenge  the  wrong- 
doer, or  punish  him  ourselves,  for  then  we  go  too  far  to  exercise  the 
feeling  of  forgiveness  towards  him,  even  if  he  should  repent.  We 
are  not  then  following  Christ's  directions,  "Be  ye  angry  and  sin 
not."  Now  I  am  not  conscious  of  ever  cherishing  one  revengeful 
feeling  towards  my  persecutors ;  while,  at  the  same  time,  I  have 
prayed  to  God,  most  fervently,  that  he  would  inflict  a  just  punish- 
ment upon  them  for  their  sins  against  me,  if  they  could  not  be 
brought  to  repent  without.  For  my  heart  has  ever  yearned  to  forr 
give  them,  from  the  first  to  the  last,  on  this  gospel  condition. 

I  think  our  government  has  been  called  to  exercise  the  same  kind 
of  indignation  towards  those  conspirators  who  have  done  all  they  can 
do  to  overthrow  it ;  and  yet,  they  stand  ready  to  forgive  them,  and 
restore  them  to  their  confidence,  on  the  condition  of  practical  repent- 
ance. And  I  say  further,  that  it  would  have  been  wrong  and  sinful 
for  our  government  to  have  witheld  this  expression  of  their  resent- 
ment towards  them,  and  let  them  crush  it  out  of  existence,  without 
trying  to  defend  itself.  I  say  it  did  right  in  defending  itself  with  a 
resistance  corresponding  to  the  attack.  So  I,  in  trying  to  defend 
myself  against  this  conspiracy  against  my  personal  liberty,  have  only 
acted  on  the  self-defensive  principle.  Neither  have  I  ever  aggressed 
on  the  rights  of  others  in  my  self-defence.  I  have  simply  defended 
my  own  rights. 


NOTE    OF    THANKS.  Ill 

In  my  opinion,  it  would  be  no  more  unreasonable  to  accuse  the 
inmates  of  "  Libby  Prison "  with  insanity,  because  they  expressed 
their  resentment  of  the  wrongs  they  were  enduring  in  strong  lan- 
guage, than  it  is  to  accuse  me  of  insanity  for  doing  the  fame  thing 
while  in  my  prison.  For  prison  life  is  terrible  under  any  circum- 
stances. But  to  be  confined  amongst  raving  maniacs,  for  years  in 
succession,  is  horrible  in  the  extreme.  For  myself,  I  should  not  hes- 
itate one  moment  which  to  choose,  between  a  confinement  in  an 
insane  asylum,  as  I  was,  or  being  burned  at  the  stake.  Death,  under  fl 
the  most  aggravated  forms  of  torture,  would  now  be  instantly  chosen 
by  me,  rather  than  life  in  an  insane  asylum.  And  whoever  is  dis- 
posed to  call  this  "  strong  language,"  I  say,  let  them  try  it  for  them- 
selves as  I  did,  and  then  let  them  say  whether  the  expression  is  any 
stronger  than  the  case  justifies.  For  until  they  have  tried  it,  they 
can  never  imagine  the  horrors  of  the  maniac's  ward  in  Jacksonville 
Insane  Asylum. 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  gratifying  to  my  patrons  and  readers 
both,  to  tell  them  how  I  came  to  write  such  a  book,  instead  of  an  or- 
dinary book  in  the  common  style  of  language.  It  was  because  such 
a  kind  of  book  was  presented  to  my  mind,  and  no  other  was.  It 
was  under  these  circumstances  that  this  kind  of  inspiration  came 
upon  me. 

The  day  after  my  interview  with  the  Trustees,  the  Doctor  came  to 
my  room  to  see  what  was  to  be  done.  His  first  salutation  was 
"  Well,  Mrs.  Packard,  the  Trustees  seemed  to  think  that  you  hit 
your  mark  with  your  gun." 

"  Did  they  ?  "  said  I.  "  And  was  it  that,  which  caused  such  roars 
and  roars  of  laughter  from  the  Trustees'  room  after  I  left  ?  " 

"  Yes.  Your  document  amused  them  highly.  Now,  Mrs.  Pack- 
ard, I  want  you  to  give  me  a  copy  of  that  document,  for  what  is 
worth  hearing  once  is  worth  hearing  twice." 

"  Very  well,"  said  I,  "  I  will.  And  I  should  like  to  give  the 
Trustees  a  copy,  and  send  my  father  one,  and  some  others  of  the 
Calvinistic  clergy.  But  it  is  so  tedious  for  me  to  copy  anything,  how 
would  it  do  to  get  a  few  handbills  or  tracts  printed,  and  send  them 
where  we  please  ?  " 

u  You  may,"  was  his  reply,  "  and  I  will  pay  the  printer." 

"  Shall  I  add  anything  to  it ;  that  is,  what  I  said  to  the  Trustees, 
and  so  forth  ?  " 

"  Yes,  tell  the  whole !     "Write  what  you  please ! " 


112  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

With  this  most  unexpected  license  of  unrestricted  liberty,  I  com- 
menced re-writing  and  preparing  a  tract  for  the  press.  But  before 
twenty-four  hours  had  elapsed  since  this  liberty  licence  was  granted 
to  my  hitherto  prison-bound  intellect,  the  vision  of  a  big  book  began 
to  dawn  upon  my  mind,  accompanied  with  the  most  delightful  feel- 
ings of  satisfaction  with  my  undertaking.  And  the  next  time  the 
Doctor  called,  I  told  him,  that  it  seemed  to  me  that  I  must  write  a 
book — a  big  book — and  "that  is  the  worst  of  it,"  said  I,  "I  don't 
want  a  large  book,  but  I  don't  see  how  I  can  cut  it  down,  and  do  it 
justice.  I  want  to  lay  two  train  of  cars,"  said  I,  "  across  this  conti- 
nent— the  Christian  and  the  Calvinistic.  Then  I  want  to  sort  out  all 
the  good  and  evil  found  in  our  family  institutions,  our  Church  and 
S;ate  institutions,  and  our  laws,  and  all  other  departments  of  trades 
and  professions,  &c.,  and  then  come  on  with  my  two  train  of  carp, 
and  gather  up  this  scattered  freight,  putting  the  evil  into  the  Calvin- 
istic train,  and  the  good  into  the  Christian  train,  and  then  engineer 
them  both  on  to  their  respective  terminus.  These  thoughts  are  all 
new  and  original  with  me,  having  never  thought  of  srch  a  tl  ing, 
until  this  sort  of  mental  vision  came  before  my  mind.  What  shall  I 
do,  Doctor?" 

"  Write  it  out  just  as  you  see  it." 

He  then  furnished  me  with  paper  and  gave  directions  to  the  attend- 
ants to  let  no  one  disturb  me,  and  let  me  do  just  as  I  pleased.  And 
I  commenced  writing  out  this  mental  vision;  and  in  six  week's  time 
I  penciled  the  substance  of  "  The  Great  Drama,"  which,  when  writ- 
ten 'out  for  the  press,  covers  two  thousand  five  hundred  pages  !  Can 
I  not  truly  say  my  train  of  thought  was  engineered  by  the  ur Light- 
ning Express  ?  "  This  was  the  kind  of  inspiration  under  which  my 
book  was  thought  out  and  written.  I  had  no  books  to  aid  me,  but 
Webster's  large  Dictionary  and  the  Bible.  It  came  wholly  through 
my  own  reason  and  intellect,  quickened  into  unusual  activity  by 
some  spiritual  influence,  as  it  seemed  to  me.  The  production  is  a 
remarkable  one,  as  well  as  the  inditing  of  it  a  very  singular  phe- 
nomenon. 

The  e  -timation  in  which  the  book  is  held  by  that  class  in  that 
Asylum  who  are  "spirit  medium-,"  and  who  e  only  knowledge  of  its 
contents  they  wholly  derive  from  their  clairvoyant  powers  of  reading 
it,  without  the  aid  of  their  natural  vision,  it  may  amuse  a  class  of  my 
readers  to  know.  It  was  a  fact  the  attendants  told  me  of,  that  my 
book  and  its  contents,  was  made  a  very  common  topic  of  remark  in 


NOTE    OF   THANKS.  113 

almost  every  ward  in  the  house ;  while  all  this  time,  I  was  closeted 
alone  in  my  room  writing  it,  and  they  never  saw  me  or*  my  book.  I 
would  often  be  greatly  amused  by  the  remarks  they  made  about  it,  as 
they  were  reported  to  me  by  witnesses  who  heard  them.  Such  as 
these:  "  I  have  read  Mrs.  Packard's  book  through,  and  it  is  the  most 
amusing  thing  I  ever  read."  "  Calvinism  is  dead — dead  as  a  her- 
ring." "Mrs.  Packard  drives  her  own  team,  and  she  drives  it 
beautifully,  too."  "The  Packard  books  are  all  over  the  world, 
Norway  is  full  of  them.  They  perfectly  devour  the  Packard  books 
in  Norway."  "  Mrs.  Packard  finds  a  great  deal  of  fault  with  the 
Laws  and  the  Government,  and  she  has  reason  to."  "  She  defends 
a  higher  and  better  law  than  our  government  has,  and  she'll  be  in 
Congress  one  of  these  days,  helping  to  make  new  laws  ! " 

If  this  prophetess  had  said  that  woman's  influence  would  be  felt  in 
Congress,  giving  character  to  the  laws,  I  might  have  said  I  believed 
she  had  uttered  a  true  prophecy. 

One  very  intelligent  patient,  who  was  a  companion  of  mine,  and 
had  read  portions  of  my  book,  came  to  my  room  one  morning  with 
some  verses  which  she  had  penciled  the  night  previous,  by  moonlight, 
on  the  fly-leaf  of  her  Bible,  which  she  requested  me  to  read,  and 
judge  if  they  were  not  appropriate  to  the  character  of  my  book. 
She  said  she  had  been  so  impressed  with  the  thought  that  she  must 
get  up  and  write  something,  that  she  could  not  compose  herself  to 
sleep  until  she  had  done  so ;  when  she  wrote  these  verses,  but  could 
not  tell  a  word  she  had  written  the  next  morning,  except  the  first 
line.  I  here  give  her  opinions  or  the  book  in  her  own  poetic  lan- 
guage, as  she  presented  them  to  me. 

* 

LINES  SUGGESTED  BY  THE  PERUSAL  OF  THE  GREAT  DRAMA. 

Affectionately  presented  to  the  "  World's  Friend  "—Mrs.  E.  P.  W.  Packard— by  her  friend, 
Mrs.  Sophia  N.  B.  Olsen. 

Go,  little  book,  go  seek  the  world ; 

With  banner  new,  with  flag  unfurled; 

Go,  teach  mankind  aspirings  high, 

By  human  immortality !  9 

Thou  canst  not  blush ;  thine  open  page 

Will  all  our  higher  powers  engage;  * 

Thy  name  on  every  soul  shall  be, 

Defender  of  humanity ! 


114  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIE 

The  poor,  the  sad,  the  sorrowing  heart, 
Shall  joy  to  see  thy  book  impart 
Solace,  to  every  tear-dimmed  eye, 
That's  wept,  till  all  its  tears  are  dry. 

The  palid  sufferer  on  the  bed 
Of  sickness,  shall  erect  the  head 
And  cry,  "  Life  yet  hath  charms  for  me 
When  Packard's  books  shall  scattered  be.w 

Each  prison  victim  of  despair 
Shall,  in  thy  book,  see  written  there 
Another  gospel  to  thy  race, 
Of  sweet  "  Requiescat  in  pace." 

The  time-worn  wigs,  w'ih  error  gray, 
Their  dusty  locks  with  pale  dismay, 
Shall  shake  in  vain  in  wild  despair, 
To  see  their  prostrate  castles,  where  ? 

No  mourner's  tear  shall  weep  their  doom, 
No  bard  shall  linger  o'er  their  tomb, 
No  poet  sing,  but  howl  a  strain 
Farewell,  thou  doom'd,  live  not  again. 

Yes,  oh,  poor  Ichabod  must  lay, 

Deep  buried  in  Aceldema ! 

His  lost  Consuelo  shall  rise 

No  more,  to  cheer  his  death-sealed  eyes. 

Then  speed  thy  book,  oh,  sister,  speed, 
The  waiting  world  thy  works  must  readj 
Bless'd  be  the  man  who  cries,  "  Go  on," 
"  Hinder  it  not,  it  shall  be  gone." 

Go,  little  book,  thy  destiny 
Excelsior  shall  ever  be ; 
A  fadeless  wreath  shall  crown  thy  brow, 
0  writer  of  that  book !  e'en  now. 

The  wise  shall  laugh — the  foolish  cry- 
Both  wise  and  foolish  virgins,  why  ? 
Because  the  first  will  wiser  grow, 
The  foolish  ones  some  wisdom  snow. 


NOTE    OF    THANKS.  115 

The  midnight  cry  is  coming  soon, 
The  midnight  lamp  will  shine  at  noon ; 
I  fear  for  some,  who  snoring  lie, 
Then  rise,  ye  dead,  to  judgment  fly. 

The  stars  shall  fade  away — the  sun 
Himself  grow  dim  with  age  when  done 
Shining  upin  our  frigid  earth; 
But  Paci  ar  1's  book  shall  yet  have  birth, 
But  never  death,  on  this  our  earth. 

JACKSONVILLE  LUNATIC  ASYLUM,  Jan.  27,  1863. 

So  much  for  the  opinions  of  those  whom  this  age  call  crazy,  but 
who  are,  in  my  opinion,  no  more  insane  than  all  that  numerous  class 
of  our  day,  who  are  called  "  spirit  mediums ; "  and  to  imprison  them 
as  insane,  simply  because  they  possess  these  spiritual  gifts  or  powers, 
is  a  barbarity,  which  coming  generations  will  look  upon  with  the 
same  class  of  emotions,  as  we  now  look  upon  the  barbarities  attend- 
ing Salem  Witchcraft.  It  is  not  only  barbarous  and  cruel  to  de- 
prive them  of  their  personal  liberty,  but  it  is  also  a  crime  against 
humanity,  for  which  our  government  must  be  held  responsible  at 
God's  bar  of  justice. 

I  will  now  give  some  of  the  opinions  of  a  few  who  know  some- 
thing of  the  character  of  my  book,  whom  the  world  recognize  as 
sane.  Dr.  McFarland  used  to  sometimes  say,  "  Who  knows  but  you 
were  sent  here  to  write  an  allegory  for  the  present  age,  as  Bunyan 
was  sent  to  Bedford  Jail  to  write  his  allegory  ? "  Dr.  Tenny,  the 
assistant  physician,  once  said  to  me  as  he  was  pocketing  a  piece 
of  my  waste  manuscript,  "  I  think  your  book  may  yet  become  so 
popular,  and  acquire  so  great  notoriety,  that  it  will  be  considered  an 
honor  to  have  a  bit  of  the  paper  on  which  it  was  written  ! " 

I  replied,  "  Dr.  Tenny,  you  must  not  flatter  me." 

Said  he,  "I  am  not  flattering,  I  am  only  uttering  my  honest 
opinions." 

Said  another  honorable  gentleman  who  thought  he  understood 
the  character  of  the  book,  "  Mrs.  Packard,  I  believe  your  book  will 
yet  be  read  in  our  Legislative  Halls  and  in  Congress,  as  a  specimen 
of  the  highest  form  of  law  ever  sent  to  our  world,  and  coming  mill- 
ions will  read  your  history,  and  bless  you  as  one  who  was  afflicted 
for.  humanity's  sake."  It  must  be  acknowledged  that  this  intelligent 
gentleman  had  some  solid  basis  on  which  he  could  defend  this  ex- 


116  MA.RITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

travagant  opinion,  namely :  that  God  does  sometimes  employ  "  the 
weak  things  of  the  world  to  confound  the  mighty." 

These  expressions  must  all  be  received  as  mere  human  opinions, 
and  nothing  more.  The  book  must  stand  just  where  its  own  in- 
trinsic merits  place  it.  If  it  is  ever  published,  it,  like  all  other  mere 
human  productions,  will  find  its  own  proper  level,  and  no  opinions 
can  change  its  real  intrinsic  character.  The  great  question  with  me 
is,  how  can  I  soonest  earn  the  $2,500.00  necessary  to  print  it  with? 
Should  I  ever  be  so  fortunate  as  to  gain  that  amount  by  the  sale 
of  this  pamphlet,  I  should  feel  that  my  great  life-work  was  done,  so 
that  I  might  feel  at  full  liberty  to  rest  from  my  labors.  But  until 
then,  I  cheerfully  labor  and  toil  to  accomplish  it. 


NOTE  OF  THANKS  TO  THE  PRESS. 

In  thi»  connection,  I  deem  it  right  and  proper  that  I  should  ac- 
knowledge the  aid  I  have  received  from  the  public  Press — those 
newspapers  whose  manliness  has  prompted  them  to  espouse  the 
cause  of  woman,  by  using  their  columns  to  help  me  on  in  my  ardu- 
our  enterprise.  My  object  can  only  be  achieved,  by  enlightening 
the  public  mind  into  the  need  and  necessities  of  the  case.  The  peo- 
ple do  not  make  laws  until  they  see  the  need  of  them.  Now,  when 
one  case  is  presented  showing  the  need  of  a  law  to  meet  it,  and  this 
is  found  to  be  a  representative  case,  that  is,  a  case  fairly  representing 
an  important  class,  then,  and  only  till  then,  is  the  public  mind  pre- 
pared to  act  efficiently  in  reference  to  it.  And  as  the  Press  is  the 
People's  great  engine  of  power  in  getting  up  an  agitation  on  any  sub- 
ject of  public  interest,  it  is  always  a  great  and  desirable  object  to 
secure  its  patronage  in  helping  it  forward.  This  help  it  has  been  my 
good  fortune  to  secure,  both  in  Illinois  and  Massachusetts. 

And  my  most  grateful  acknowledgments  are  especially  due  the 
Journal  of  Commerce  of  Chicago,  also  the  Chicago  Tribune,  the 
Chicago  Times,  the  Post,  the  New  Covenant,  and  the  North  Western 
Christian  Advocate.  All  these  Chicago  Journals  aided  me  more  or 
less  in  getting  up  an  agitation  in  Illinois,  besides  a  multitude  of  other 
papers  throughout  that  State  too  numerous  to  mention. 

Some  of  the  papers  in  Massachusetts,  to  whom  my  acknowledg- 
ments are  due,  are  the  Boston  Journal,  the  Transcript,  the  Traveller, 
the  Daily  Advertiser,  the  Courier,  the  Post  the  Recorder,  the  Com- 


TESTIMONIALS.  117 

monwealth,  the  Investigator,  the  Nation,  the  Universalist,  the  Chris- 
tian Register,  the  Congregationalist,  the  Banner  of  Light,  and  the 
Liberator.  All  these  Boston  Journals  have  aided  me,  more  or  less, 
in  getting  up  an  excitement  in  Massachusetts,  and  bringing  the  sub- 
ject before  the  Massachusetts  Legislature.  Many  other  papers 
throughout  the  State  have  noticed  my  cause  with  grateful  interest. 

As  the  pubKc  come  to  apprehend  the  merits  of  my  case,  and  look 
upon  it  as  a  mirror,  wherein  the  laws  in  relation  to  married  women 
are  reflected,  they  will  doubtless  join'  with  me  in  thanks  to  these 
Journals  who  have  been  used  as  means  of  bringing  this  light  before 
them. 


TESTIMONIALS. 

Although  mycause/being  based  in  eternal  truth,  does  not  depend 
upon  certificates  and  testimonials  to  sustain  it,  and  stands  therefore  in 
no  need  of  them  ;  yet,  as  they  are  sometimes  called  for,  as  a  confirm- 
ation of  my  statements,  I  have  asked  for  just  such  testimonials  as  the 
following  gentlemen  felt  self-moved  to  give  me.  I  needed  no  testi- 
monials while  prosecuting  my  business  in  Illinois,  for  the  facts  of  the 
case  were  so  well  known  there,  by  the  papers  reporting  my  trial  so 
generally.  I  needed  no  other  passport  to  the  confidence  of  the 
public. 

But  when  I  came  to  Boston  to  commence  my  business  in  Massa- 
chusetts, being  an  entire  stranger  there,  I  found  the  need  of  some 
credentials  or  testimonials  in  confirmation  of  my  strange  and  novel 
statements.  And  it  was  right  and  proper,  under  such  circumstances, 
that  I  should  have  them.  I  therefore  wrote  to  Judge  Boardman  and 
Hon.  S.  S.  Jones,  my  personal  friends,  in  Illinois,  and  told  them  the 
difficulty  I  found  in  getting  my  story  believed,  and  asked  them  to 
send  me  anything  in  the  form  of  a  certificate,  that  they  in  their  judg- 
ment felt  disposed  to  send  me,  that  might  help  me  in  surmounting 
this  obstacle.  Very  promptly  did  these  gentlemen  respond  to  my 
request,  and  sent  me  the  following  testimonials,  which  were  soon 
printed  in  several  of  the  Boston  papers,  with  such  editorials  accom- 
panying them,  as  gave  them  additional  weight  and  influence  in  secu- 
ring to  me  the  confidence  of  the  public. 

Judge  Boardman  is  an  old  and  distinguished  Judge  in  Illinois,  re- 
ceiving, as  he  justly  merits,  the  highest  esteem  and  confidence  of  his 


118  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

cotemporaries,  as  a  distinguished  scholar,  an  eminent  Judge,  and  a 
practical  Christian. 

Mr.  Jones  is  a  middle  aged  man,  of  the  same  stamp  as  the  Judge, 
receiving  proof  of  the  esteem  in  which  he  is  held  by  his  cotempora- 
ries, in  being  sent  to  Congress  by  vote  of  Illinois'  citizens,  and  by 
having  been  for  successive  years  a  member  of  the  Legislature  of  that 
State.  He  was  in  that  position  when  he  sent  me  his  certificate. 

JUDGE  BOARDMAN'S  LETTER. 

To  all  persons  who  would  desire  to  give  sympathy  and  encouragement 
to  a  most  worthy  but  persecuted  woman/ 

The  undersigned,  formerly  from  the  State  of  Vermont,  now  an  old 
resident  of  the  State  of  Illinois,  would  most  respectfully  and  frater- 
nally certify  and  represent:  That  he  has  been,  formerly  and  for  many 
years,  associated  with  the  legal  profession  in  Illinois,  and  is  well  known 
in  the  north-eastern  part  of  said  State.  That  in  the  duties  of  his  pro- 
fession and  in  the  offices  he  has  filled,  he  has  frequently  investigated, 
judicially,  and  otherwise,  cases  of  insanity.  That  he  has  given  con- 
siderable attention  to  medical  jurisprudence,  and  studied  some  of  the 
best  authors  on  the  subject  of  insanity  ;  has  paid  great  attention  to  the 
principles  and  philosophy  of  mind,  and  therefore  would  say,  with  all 
due  modesty,  that  he  verily  believes  himself  qualified  to  give  an 
opinion  entitled  to  respectful  consideration,  on  the  question  of  the 
sanity  or  insanity  of  any  person  with  whom  he  may  be  acquainted. 
That  he  is  acquainted  with  Mrs.  E.  P.  W.  Packard,  and  verily  be- 
lieves her  not  only  sane,  but  that  she  is  a  person  of  very  superior 
endowments  of  mind  and  understanding,  naturally  possessing  an  ex- 
ceedingly well  balanced  organization,  which,  no  doubt,  prevented  her 
from  becoming  insane,  under  the  persecution,  incarceration,  and  treat- 
ment she  has  received.  That  Mrs.  Packard  has  been  the  victim 
of  religious  bigotry,  purely  so,  without  a  single  circumstance  to  alle- 
viate the  darkness  of  the  transaction  !  A  case  worthy  of  the  palmiest 
days  of  the  inquisition  ! ! 

The  question  may  be  asked,  how  this  could  happen,  especially  in 
Northern  Illinois  ?  To  which  I  answer  that  the  common  law  pre- 
vails here,  the  same  as  in  other  States,  where  this  law  has  not  been 
modified  or  set  aside  by  tte  statute  laws,  which  gives  the  legal  cus- 
tody of  the  wife's  person,  into  the  hands  of  the  husband,  and  there- 
fore, a  wife  can  only  be  released  from  oppression,  or  even  from  im- 


TESTIMONIALS.  119 

prisonment  by  her  husband,  by  the  legal  complaint  of  herself,  or  some 
one  in  her  behalf,  before  the  proper  judicial  authorities,  and  a  hear- 
ing and  decision  in  the  case ;  as  was  finally  had  in  Mrs.  Packard's 
case,  she  having  been  in  the  first  place,  taken  by  force,  by  her  hus- 
band, and  sent  to  the  Insane  Hospital,  without  any  opportunity  to 
make  complaint,  or  without  any  hearing  or  investigation. 

But  how  could  the  Superintendent  of  the  Insane  Hospital  be  a 
party  to  so  great  a  wrong?  Very  easily  answered,  without  neces- 
sarily impeaching  his  honesty,  when  we  consider  that  her  alleged 
insanity  was  on  religious  subjects ;  her  husband  a  minister  of  good 
standing  in  his  denomination,  and  the  Superintendent  sympathizing 
with  him,  in  all  probability,  in  religious  doctrine  and  belief,  sup- 
posed, of  course,  that  she  was  insane.  She  was  legally  sent  to  him, 
by  the  authority  of  her  husband,  as  insane  ;  and  Mrs.  Packard  had 
taught  doctrines  similar  to  the  Unitarians  and  Universalists  and  many 
radical  preachers ;  and  which  directly  opposed  the  doctrine  her  hus- 
band taught,  and  the  doctrine  of  the  Church  to  which  he  and  Mrs. 
Packard  belonged ;  the  argument  was,  that  of  course  the  woman 
must  be  crazy  ! !  And  as  she  persisted  in  her  liberal  sentiments,  the 
Superintendent  persisted  in  considering  that  she  was  insane  !  How- 
ever, whether  moral  blame  should  attach  to  the  Superintendent  and 
Trustees  of  the  Insane  Hospital,  or  not,  in  this  transaction,  other 
than  prejudice,  and  learned  ignorance ;  it  may  now  be  seen,  from 
recent  public  inquiries  and  suggestions,  that  it  is  quite  certain,  that 
the  laws,  perhaps  in  all  the  States  in  relation  to  the  insane,  and  their 
confinement  and  treatment,  have  been  much  abused,  by  the  artful 
and  cunning,  who  have  incarcerated  their  relatives  for  the  purpose 
of  getting  hold  of  their  property ;  or  for  difference  of  opinion  as  to 
our  state  and  condition  in  the  future  state  of  existence,  or  religious 
belief. 

The  undersigned  would  further  state :  That  the  published  account 
of  Mrs.  Packard's  trial  on  the  question  of  her  sanity,  is  no  doubt 
perfectly  reliable  and  correct.  That  the  Judge  before  whom  she  was 
tried,  is  a  man  of  learning,  and  ability,  and  high  standing  in  the  judi- 
cial circuit,  in  which  he  presides.  That  Mrs.  Packard  is  a  person 
of  strict  integrity  and  truthfulness,  whose  character  is  above  reproach. 
That  a  history  of  her  case  after  the  trial,  was  published  in  the  daily 
papers  in  Chicago,  and  in  the  newspapers  generally,  in  the  State ; 
arousing  at  the  time,  a  public  feeling  of  indignation  against  the  author 
of  her  persecution,  and  sympathy  for  her ;  that  nothing  has  transpired 


120  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

since,  to  overthrow  or  set  aside  the  verdict  of  popular  opinion ;  that 
it  is  highly  probable  that  the  proceedings  in  this  case,  so  far  as  the 
officers  of  the  State  Hospital  for  the  insane  are  concerned,  will  un- 
dergo a  rigid  investigation  by  the  Legislature  of  the  State. 

The  undersigned  understands  that  Mrs.  Packard  does  not  ask 
pecuniary  charity,  but  that  sympathy  and  paternal  assistance  which 
may  aid  her  to  obtain  and  make  her  own  living,  she  having  been  left 
by  her  husband,  without  any  means,  or  property  whatever. 

All  of  which  is  most  fraternally  and  confidently  submitted  to  your 
kind  consideration.  WILLIAM  A.  BOARDMAN. 

WAUKEGAN,  ILL.,  DEC.  3,  1864. 

HON.  S.  S.  JONES'  LETTER. 
"  To  a  kind  and  sympathizing  public : — 

This  is  to  certify  that  I  am  personally  acquainted  with  Mrs.  E.  P. 
W.  Packard,  late  an  inmate  of  the  Insane  Asylum  of  the  State  of  Illi- 
nois. That  Mrs.  Packard  was  a  victim  of  a  foul  and  cruel  conspiracy 
I  have  not  a  single  doubt,  and  that  she  is  and  ever  has  been  as  sane 
as  any  other  person,  I  verily  believe.  But  I  do  not  feel  called  upon 
to  assign  reasons  for  my  opinion,  in  the  premises,  as  her  case  was 
fully  investigated  before  an  eminent  Judge  of  our  State,  and  after  a 
full  and  careful  examination,  she  was  pronounced  sane,  and  restored 
to  liberty. 

Still  I  repeat,  but  for  the  cruel  conspiracy  against  her,  she  could 
not  have  been  incarcerated,  as  a  lunatic,  in  an  asylum.  Whoever 
reads  her  full  and  fair  report  of  her  case,  will  be  convinced  of  the 
terrible  conspiracy  that  was  practiced  towards  a  truly  thoughtful  and 
accomplished  lady.  A  conspiracy  worthy  of  a  demoniac  spirit  of  ages 
long  since  passed,  and  such  as  we  should  be  loth  to  believe  could  be 
practiced  in  this  enlightened  age,  did  not  the  records  of  our  court 
verify  its  truth. 

To  a  kind  and  sympathizing  public  I  commend  her.  The  deep 
and  cruel  anguish  she  has  had  to  suffer,  at  the  hands  of  those  who 
should  have  been  her  protectors,  will,  I  doubt  not,  endear  her  to 
you,  and  you  will  extend  to  her  your  kindest  sympathy  and  pro- 
tection. 

Trusting  through  her  much  suffering  the  public  will  become  more 
enlightened,  and  that  our  noble  and  benevolent  institutions — the 
asylums  for  the  insane — will  never  become  perverted  into  institutions 


TESTIMONIALS.  Ifl 

of  cruelty  and  oppression,  and  that  Mrs.  Packard  may  be  the  last 
subject  of  such  a  conspiracy  as  is  revealed  in  her  books,  that  \i  ,;1 
ever  transpire  in  this  our  State  of  Illinois,  or  elsewhere. 

Very  respectfully,         S.  S.  JONES.*' 
ST.  CHARLES,  ILL.,  DEC.  2,  1864. 

EDITORIAL  REMARKS. 

"  Assuming,  as  in  view  of  all  the  facts  it  is  our  duty  to  do,  the  cor- 
rectness of  the  statements  made  by  Mrs.  Packard,  two  matters  of  vital 
importance  demand  consideration: 

1.  What  have  *the  rulers  in  the  church'  done  about  the  persecu- 
tion ?     They  have  not  publicly  denied  the  statements ;  virtually  (on 
the  principle  that  under  such  extraordinary  circumstances  silence 
gives  consent,)   they  concede  their  correctness.     Is  the  wrong  cov- 
ered up  ?  the   guilty  party  allowed  to  go  unchallenged  lest  "  the 
cause"  suffer  by  exposure?     If  they  will  explain  the  matter  in  a 
way  to  exculpate  the  accused,  these  columns  shall  be  prompt  to  do 
the  injured  full  and  impartial  justice.     We  are  anxious  to  know 
what  they  have  to  say  in  the  premises.     If  Mrs.  Packard  is  insane 
because  she  rejects  Calvinism,  then  we  are  insane,  liable  to  arrest, 
and  to  be  placed  in  an  insane  asylum!     We  have  a  personal  interest 
in  this  matter. 

2.  Read  carefully  Judge  Boardman's  statement  as  to  the  bearing 
of  "  common  law "  on  Mrs.  Packard's  case.     If  a  bad  man,  hating 
his  wife  and  wishing  to  get  rid  of  her,  is  base  enough  to  fabricate  a 
charge  of  insanity,  and  can  find  two  physicians  "in  regular  standing" 
foolish  or  wicked  enough  to  give  the  legal  certificate,  the  wife  is  help- 
less !     The  "  common  law  "  places  her  wholly  at  the  mercy  of  her 
brutal  lord.     Certainly  the  statute  should  interfere.     Humanity,  not 
to  say  Christianity,  demands,  that  special  enactments  shall  make  im- 
possible, such  atrocities  as  are  alleged  in  the  case  of  Mrs.  Packard — 
atrocities  which,  according  to  Judge  Boardman,  can  be  enacted  in  the 
name  of  "  common  law."     We  trust  the  case  now  presented  will  have 
at  least  the  effect,  to  incite  Legislative  bodies  to  such  enactments  as 
will  protect  women  from  the  possibility  of  outrages,  which,  we  are  led 
to  fear,  ecclesiastical  bodies  had  rather  cover  up,  than  expose  and 
rebuke  to  the  prejudice  of  sectarian  ends — the  '  sacred  cause.' " 

As  I  have  said,  there  was  a  successful  effort  made  in  the  Massa- 
chusetts Legislature  to  change  the  laws  in  reference  to  the  mode 


122  MARITAL    POWER   EXEMPLIFIED. 

of  commitment  into  Insane  Asylums  that  winter,  1865,  and  as  Hon. 
S.  E.  Sewall  was  my  "  friend  and  fellow  laborer,"  as  he  styles  him- 
self, in  that  movement,  I  made  application  to  him  this  next  winter, 
for  such  a  recommend  as  I  might  use  to  aid  me  in  bringing  this  sub- 
ject before  the  Illinois'  Legislature  this  winter,  for  the  purpose  of 
getting  a  change  in  their  laws  also.  But  finding  that  the  Illinois'  Legis- 
lature do  not  meet  this  year,  I  have  had  no  occasion  to  use  it,  as  I 
intended.  Having  it  thus  on  hand,  I  will  add  this  to  the  foregoing. 

HON.  S.  E.  SEWALL'S  TESTIMONIAL. 

"  I  have  been  acquainted  with  Mrs.  E.  P.  W.  Packard  for  about  a 
year,  I  believe.  She  is  a  person  of  great  religious  feeling,  high 
moral  principle,  and  warm  philanthropy.  She  is  a  logical  thinker, 
a  persuasive  speaker,  and  such  an  agitator,  that  she  sometimes  suc- 
ceeds where  a  man  would  fail.  I  think  she  will  be  very  useful  in 
the  cause  to  which  she  has  devoted  herself,  I  mean  procuring  new 
laws  to  protect  married  women. 

I  give  Mrs.  Packard  these  lines  of  recommendation,  because  she 
has  asked  for  them.  I  do  not  think  them  at  all  necessary,  for  she  can 
recommend  herself,  far  better  than  I  can.  S.  E.  SEWALL." 

BOSTON,  Nov.  27,  1865. 

After  these  testimonials,  and  the  editorial  remarks  accompanying 
them  had  appeared  in  these  Boston  journals,  Mr.  Packard  sent  vari- 
ous  articles  to  these  journals  in  reply,  designing  to  counteract  their 
legitimate  influence  in  defence  of  my  course.  Some  of  these  articles 
were  published,  and  many  were  refused,  by  the  editors.  The  "  Uni- 
versalist,"  and  the  "  Daily  Advertiser,"  published  a  part  of  his  vo- 
luminous defence,  which  was  made  up  almost  entirely  of  certificates 
and  credentials,  but  no  denial  of  the  truth  of  the  general  statement, 
The  chief  point  in  his  defence  which  he  seemed  the  most  anxious  t<v 
establish  was,  that  my  trial  was  not  correctly  reported — and  not  a 
fair  trial — a  mere  mob  triumph,  instead  of  a  triumph  of  justice.  One 
of  these  papers,  containing  his  impeachments  of  the  court,  was  sent 
to  Kankakee  City,  Illinois,  where  the  court  was  held,  and  elicited 
many  prompt  and  indignant  replies.  An  article  soon  appeared  in 
the  Kankakee  paper,  on  this  subject,  stating  his  defamations  against 
the  judge,  lawyers,  and  jury,  and  then  added,  "  Mr.  Packard  is  both 
writing  his  wife  into  notoriety,  and  himself  into  infamy,"  by  his  pub- 
lishing such  statements,  as  he  would  not  dare  to  publish  in  Illinois ; 


TESTIMONIALS.  123 

and  it  was  astonishing  to  them,  how  such  a  paper  as  the  Boston 
"  Daily  Advertiser,"  should  allow  such  scandals  respecting  the  pro- 
ceedings of  Illinois'  courts  to  appear  in  its  columns.  I  will  here 
give  entire  only  one  of  the  many  articles  sent  to  the  Boston  papers 
in  reply.  This  article  was  headed,  • 

THE  KEPLT  OP  THE  REPORTER  or  MRS.  PACKARD'S  TRIAL,  TO 
REV.  THEOPHILUS  PACKARD'S  CHARGE  OF  MISREPRESENTA- 
TION. 

"  To  the  Editors  of  the  Boston  Daily  Advertiser : — 

In  the  supplement  of  the  Boston  Daily  Advertiser  of  May  3d,  ap- 
pears a  collection  of  certificates,  introduced  by  Rev.  Theophilus  Pack- 
ardj  which  requires  a  notice  from  me.  These  certificates  are  intro- 
duced for  one  or  two  purposes.  First,  either  to  prove  that  the  report 
of  the  trial  of  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Packard,  held  before  the  Hon.  C.  R. 
Starr,  Judge  of  the  Second  Judicial  Circuit  of  the  State  of  Illinois, 
on  the  question  of  her  insanity,  as  published  in  the  "  Great  Drama," 
is  false  ;  or,  secondly,  to  prove  to  the  readers  of  the  Advertiser  that 
Mr.  Packard  is  not  so  bad  a  man  as  those  who  read  the  trial  would 
be  likely  to  suppose  him  to  be. 

In  determining  the  truth  of  the  statements  of  any  number  of  per- 
sons relative  to  any  given  subject,  it  is  always  profitable  to  inquire 
who  the  persons  that  make  the  statements  are,  what  is  their  relation 
to  the  subject-matter,  and  what  their  means  of  information. 

I  entered  upon  the  defence  of  Mrs.  Packard  without  any  expecta- 
tion of  fee  or  reward,  except  such  as  arises  from  a  consciousness  of 
having  discharged  my  duty  toward  a  helpless  and  penniless  woman, 
who  was  either  indeed  insane,  or  was  most  foully  dealt  with  by  him 
who  had  sworn  to  love,  cherish  and  protect  her.  I  was  searching  for 
the  truth.  I  did  then  no  more  and  no  less  than  I  should  do  for 
any  person  who  claimed  that  their  sacred  rights  were  daily  violated, 
and  life  made  a  burden  most  intolerable  to  be  borne,  by  repeated 
wrongs. 

The  report  was  made  from  written  notes  of  the  testimony  taken 
during  the  trial.  And  this  is  the  first  time  I  ever  heard  the  correct- 
ness of  the  report  called  in  question.  It  would  be  very  unlikely  that 
I  should  make  an  incorrect  report  of  an  important  case,  which  I  knew 
would  be  read  by  my  friends  and  business  acquaintances,  and  which 
(if  incorrect)  would  work  a  personal  injury.  Policy  and  selfish  mo- 
tives would  prevent  me  from  making  an  incorrect  report,  if  I  was 
2uided  by  nothing  higher. 


124  M.VKITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

The  first  certificate  presented  is  signed  by  Deacon  A.  II.  Dole, 
and  Sibyl  T.  Dole,  who  are  the  sister  and  brother-in-law  of  Mr. 
Packard,  and,  as  the  trial  shows,  his  co-conspirators ;  J.  B.  Smith, 
another  of  his  deacons,  who  was  a  willing  tool  in  the  transaction ; 
and  Miss  Sarah  Rumsey,  another  member  of  his  Church,  who  went 
to  live  with  Mr.  Packard  when  Mrs.  Packard  was  first  kidnapped. 
Let  Jeff.  Davis  be  put  on  trial,  and  then  take  the  certificates  of  Mrs. 
Surratt,  Payne,  Azteroth,  Arnold,  Dr.  Mudd  and  George  N.  Saun- 
ders,  and  I  am  led  to  believe  they  would  make  out  Jeff,  to  be  a 
"  Christian  President,"  whom  the  barbarous  North  were  trying  to 
murder.  Their  further  certificate  "that  the  disorderly  demonstra- 
tions by  the  furious  populace,  filling  the  Court  House  while  we  were 
present  at  the  said  trial,  were  well  calculated  to  prevent  a  fair  trial," 
is  simply  bosh,  but  is  on  a  par  with  the  whole  certificate.  It  is  a 
reflection  upon  the  purity  of  our  judicial  system,  and  upon  our  Cir- 
cuit Court,  that  they  would  not  make  at  home.  And  I  can  only  ac- 
count for  its  being  made  on  the  supposition  that  it  would  not  be  read 
in  Illinois.  "  The  furious  populace  "  consisted  of  about  two  hundred 
ladies  of  our  city  who  visited  the  trial  until  it  was  completed,  because 
they  felt  a  sympathy  for  one  of  their  own  sex,  whose  treatment  had 
become  notorious  in  our  city.  The  conspirators  allege  that  Mrs. 
Packard  is  insane.  They  each  swore  to  this  on  the  trial,  but  a  jury 
of  twelve  men  after  hearing  the  whole  case,  upon  their  oaths  said  in 
effect  they  did  not  believe  these  witnesses,  for  by  their  verdict  they 
found  her  SANE. 

The  second  certificate  is  from  Samuel  Packard.  It  is  a  sufficient 
answer  to  this  to  say  that  he  is  the  son  of  Mr.  Packard,  and  entirely 
under  his  father's  control,  and  that  it  is  apparent  upon  the  document 
that  the  boy  never  wrote  a  word  of  it. 

Then  follows  a  certificate  from  Lizzie,  who  takes  umbrage  because 
I  called  her  in  the  report  the  "  little  daughter  "  of  Mrs.  Packard,  and 
is  made  to  say  pertly  she  was  then  fourteen.  She  then  acted  like  a 
good  daughter,  who  loved  her  mother  dearly,  and  her  size  and  age 
never  entered  into  the  consideration  of  the  audience  of  ladies  whose 
hearts  were  touched  and  feelings  stirred,  till  the  fountain  of  their 
tears  was  broken,  by  the  kind  and  natural  emotions  which  were 
then  exhibited  by  the  mother  and  daughter.  When  Mrs.  Packard 
was  put  in  the  hospital  Lizzie  was  about  ten  years  old,  and  a  think- 
ing public  will  determine  what  judgment  she  could  then  form  about 
her  mother's  "religious  notions"  and  her  "insanity,"  "to  the  great 
sorrow  of  all  our  family." 


TESTIMONIALS.  125 

One  word  further  upon  the  certificate  of  Thomas  P.  Bbnfield,  and 
I  will  close.  He  says  that  the  trial  commenced  very  soon  after  the 
writ  of  habeas  corpus  was  served  on  Mr.  Packard,  and  therefore  he 
could  not  obtain  his  evidence,  and  was  prevented  from  obtaining  the 
attendance  of  Dr.  McFarland,  Superintendent  of  the  Insane  Hospital 
of  Illinois.  Dr.  McFarland  was  the  only  witness  whose  attendance 
Mr.  Packard's  counsel  expressed  a  desire  for  that  was  not  present. 
They  had  his  certificate  that  Mrs.  Packard  was  insane,  which  they 
used  as  evidence,  and  which  went  to  the  jury.  The  defence  had  no 
opportunity  for  cross-examination,  while  Mr.  Packard  thus  got  the 
benefit  of  McFarland's  evidence  that  she  was  insane,  with  no  possi- 
bility of  a  contradiction.  What  more  could  he  have  had  if  the  wit- 
ness had  been  present  ? 

The  certificate  further  states  that  "  a  large  portion  of  the  commu- 
nity were  more  intent  on  giving  Presbyterianism  a  blow  than  on  in- 
vestigating, or  leaving  the  law  to  investigate,  the  question  of  Mrs. 
Packard's  insanity."  Well,  what  did  the  "  feelings  "  of  the  commu- 
nity have  to  do  with  the  court  and  jury?  You  selected  the  jury. 
You  said  they  were  good  men.  If  not  good,  you  could  have  rejected 
them.  The  presiding  judge  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational 
Church,  which  is  nearly  allied  to  the  Presbyterian.  Five  of  the 
twelve  jurymen  were  regular  atte»dants  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 
No  complaint  was  then  made  that  you  could  not  have  a  fair  trial.  If 
Packard  believed*  he  could  not,  the  statute  of  Illinois  provides  for  a 
change  of  venue,  which  petition  for  a  change  of  venue  you  had  Mr. 
Packard  sign,  but  which  you  concluded  not  to  present,  because  you 
thought  it  would  not  be  granted.  If  you  thought  it  would  not  be 
granted,  it  was  because  you  did  not  have  a  case  that  the  venue  could 
be  changed,  because  when  the  proper  affidavit  is  made  for  a  change 
of  venue,  the  Court  has  no  power  to  refuse  the  application.  The 
trial  was  conducted  as  all  trials  are  conducted  in  Boston  or  in  Illi- 
nois, and  the  verdict  of  the  jury  pronounced  Mrs.  Packard  sane. 

The  published  report  of  the  trial  is  made.  It  no  doubt  presents 
Mr.  Packard  and  his  confederates  in  a  very  unfavorable  light,  but  it 
is  just  as  they  presented  themselves.  If  they  do  not  like  the  picture 
they  should  not  have  presented  the  original. 

STEPHEN  R.  MOORE. 

KANKAKEE,  ILL.,  MAT  16,  1865. 


126  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 


CONCLUSION. 

In  view  of  the  above  facts  and  principles  on  which  this  argument 
of  "  Self-defence  from  the  charge  of  Insanity  "  is  based,  I  feel  sure 
that  the  array  of  sophisms  which  Mr.  Packard  may  attempt  to  mar- 
shall  against  it,  will  only  be  like  arguing  the  sun  out  of  the  heavens 
at  noon-day.  He  is  the  only  one  who  has  ever  dared  to  bring  per- 
sonal evidence  of  insanity  against  me,  so  far  as  my  knowledge  ex- 
tends. Others  believe  me  to  be  insane,  but  it  is  on  the  ground  of  his 
testimony,  not  from  personal  proof,  by  my  own  words  and  actions, 
independent  of  the  coloring  he  has  put  upon  them. 

For  example,  I  find  he  has  reported  as  proof  of  my  insanity,  "  that 
I  have  punished  the  children  for  obeying  him."  Had  this  been  the 
case,  in  the  sense  in  which  he  meant  it  to  be  understood,  it  would 
look  like  an  insane,  or  at  least  very  improper,  act.  But  it  is  not  true 
that  I  ever  punished  a  child  for  obeying  their  father ;  but  on  the  con- 
trary, have  exacted  implicit  obedience  to  their  father's  wishes  and 
commands,  and  have  even  enforced  this,  my  own  command,  by  pun- 
ishments, to  compel  them  to  respect  their  father's  authority,  by  obey- 
ing his  commands. 

But  this  I  have  also  done.  I  have  maintained  the  theory,  by  logic 
and  practice  both,  that  a  mother  had  &  right  to  enforce  her  own  rea- 
sonable commands — that  her  authority  to  do  so  was  delegated  to  her 
by  God  himself,  and  not  by  her  husband — and  that  this  right  to  com- 
mand being  delegated  to  her  by  God  himself,  as  the  God  given  right 
identified  with  her  maternity,  the  husband  had  no  right  to  interfere 
or  usurp  this  God  bestowed  right  from  the  wife.  But  on  the  con- 
trary, it  was  the  husband's  duty,  as  the  wife's  God  appointed  pro- 
tector, to  see  that  this  right  was  defended  to  the  wife  by  his  authority 
over  the  children,  requiring  of  them  obedience  to  her  commands,  as 
one  whose  authority  they  must  respect.  Yes,  I  have  trained  my 
children  to  respect  my  authority  as  a  God  delegated  authority,  equal 
in  power,  in  my  sphere,  to  their  father's  God  delegated  authority. 
And  farther,  I  have  taught  them,  that  I  had  no  right  to  go  out  of  my 
sphere  and  interfere  with  their  father's  authority  in  his  sphere ;  nei- 
ther had  their  father  a  right  to  trespass  upon  my  sphere,  and  counter 
order  my  commands.  I  maintain,  that  the  one  who  commands  is  the 
dnly  rightful  one  to  countermand.  Therefore,  the  father  has  no  right 
to  countermand  the  mother's  orders,  except  through  her ;  neither  has 


CONCLUSION.  127 

the  mother  a  right  to  countermand  the  father's  order,  except  through 
him.  Here  is  the  principle  of  "  equal  rights,"  which  our  government 
is  bound  to  respect.  And  it  is  because  they  do  not  respect  it,  that 
my  husband  lias  usurped  all  my  maternal  rights,  thus  proving  him- 
self traitor,  not  only  to  his  own  manliness,  but  traitor  to  the  princi- 
ples of  God's  government. 

But  as  this  is  a  volume  of  facts,  rather  than  theories,  I  will  add  one 
fact  in  vindication  of  my  assertion,  that  I  uniformly  taught  my  child- 
ren to  respect  their  father's  authority.  When  I  was  incarcerated  in 
my  prison,  my  oldest  son,  Theophilus,  was  in  the  post-office  in  Mt.. 
Pleasant,  Iowa,  as  clerk,  and  had  not  seen  me  for  two  years.  His 
regard  for  me  was  excessive.  He  had  been  uniformly  filial,  and  very 
kind  to  me,  and  therefore  when  he  learned  that  his  loving  mother  was 
a  prisoner  in  a  lunatic  asylum,  he  felt  an  unconquerable  desire  to  see 
me,  and  judge  for  himself,  whether  I  was  really  insane,  or  whether  I 
was  the  victim  of  his  father's  despotism.  His  father,  aware  of  this 
feeling,  and  fearing  he  might  ascertain  the  truth  respecting  me,  by 
some  means,  sent  him  a  letter,  commanding  him  not  to  write  to  his 
mother  now  in  the  asylum,  and  by  no  means  visit  her  there,  adding, 
if  he  did  so,  he  should  disinherit  him. 

Theophilus  was  now  eighteen  years  of  age,  and,  as  yet,  had  never 
known  what  it  was  to  disobey  either  his  father's  or  mother's  express 
commands.  But  now  his  love  for  his  mother  led  him  to  question  ^the 
justice  of  this  seemingly  arbitrary  command,  and  he,  fearful  of  trust- 
ing to  his  own  judgment  in  this  matter,  sought  advice  from  those  who 
had  once  been  Mr.  Packard's  church  members  and  deacons  in  Mt. 
Pleasant,  and  from  all  he  got  the  same  opinion  strongly  defended, 
that  he  had  a  right  to  disobey  such  a  command.  He  therefore  ven- 
tured to  visit  his  mother  in  her  lonely  prison  home  in  defiance  of  his 
father's  edict.  I  was  called  from  my  ward  to  meet  my  darling  first- 
born son  in  the  reception  room,  when  I  had  been  in  my  prison  about 
two  months.  After  embracing  me  and  kissing  me  with  all  the  fond- 
ness of  a  most  loving  child,  and  while  shedding  our  mutual  tears ' 
of  ectasy  at  being  allowed  once  more  to  meet  on  earth,  he  remarked, 
"  Mother,  I  don't  know  as  I  have  done  right  in  coming  to  see  you  as 
I  have,  for  father  has  forbid  my  coming,  and  you  have  always  taught 
me  never  to  disobey  my  father." 

"  Disobeyed  your  father ! "  said  I.  "  Yes,  I  have  always  taught 
you  it  was  a  sin  to  disobey  him,  and  I  do  fear  you  have  done  wrong, 
if  you  have  come  to  see  me  in  defiance  of  your  father's  command. 


128  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

You  know  we  can  never  claim  God's  blessing  in  doing  wrong,  and  I 
fear  our  interview  will  not  be  a  blessing  to  either  of  us,  if  it  has  been 
secured  at  the  price  of  disobedience  to  your  father's  command." 

Here  his  tears  began  to  flow  anew,  while  he  exclaimed,  "  I  was 
afraid  it  would  prove  so !  I  was  afraid  you  would  not  approve  of  my 
coming !  But,  mother,  I  could  not  bear  to  feel  that  you  had  become 
insane,  and  I  could  not  believe  it,  and  would  not,  until  I  had  seen  you 
myself;  and  now  I  see  it  is  just  as  I  expected,  you  are  not  insane, 
but  are  the  same  kind  mother  as  ever.  But  I  am  sorry  if  I  have 
done  wrong  by  coming." 

I  wept.  He  wept.  I  could  not  bear  to  blame  my  darling  boy. 
And  must  I  ?  was  the  great  question  to  be  settled.  "  My  son,"  said 
I,  "  let  us  ask  God  to  settle  this  question  for  us,"  and  down  we  both 
kneeled  by  the  sofa,  and  with  my  arm  around  my  darling  boy,  I  asked 
God  if  I  should  blame  him  for  coming  to  see  me  in  defiance  of  his 
father's  order.  While  asking  for  heavenly  wisdom  to  guide  us  in  the 
right  way,  the  thought  came  to  me,  "  go  and  ask  Dr.  McFarland." 

I  accordingly  went  to  the  Doctor's  parlor,  where  I  found  him  alone, 
reading  his  paper.  I  said  to  him,  "Doctor,  I  have  a  question  of  con- 
science to  settle,  and  I  have  sought  your  help  in  settling  it,  namely, 
u  has  my  son  done  wrong  to  visit  me,  when  his  father  has  forbid  his 
coming,  and  has  threatened  to  disinherit  him  if  he  did  ?  He  has  the 
letter  with  him  showing  this  to  be  the  case." 

After  thinking  a  moment,  the  Doctor  simply  replied,  "  Your  son 
had  a  right  to  visit  his  mother ! " 

O,  the  joy  I  felt  at  this  announcement !  It  seemed  as  if  a  moun- 
tain had  been  lifted  from  me,  so  relieved  was  I  of  my  burden.  With 
a  light  heart  I  sought  my  sobbing  boy,  and  encircling  my  arms  about 
his  neck,  exclaimed,  "  Cheer  up !  my  dear  child,  you  had  a  right  to 
visit  your  mother !  so  says  the  Doctor." 

Why  was  this  struggle  with  our  consciences?  Was  it  not  that  we 
had  trained  them  to  respect  paternal  authority?  Can  testimony,  how- 
ever abundant,  change  this  truth  into  a  falsehood  ? 

That  principle  of  self-defence,  which  depends  wholly  on  certificates 
and  testimonials,  instead  of  the  principle  of  right,  truth  and  justice,  is 
not  able  to  survive  the  shock  which  the  revelation  of  truth  brings 
against  it.  A  lie,  however  strongly  fortified  by  testimonials  and  cer- 
tificate-!, can  never  be  transformed  into  a  truth.  Neither  can  the 
truth,  however  single,  and  isolated,  and  alone,  be  its  condition,  can 
never  be  transformed  into  a  lie,  nor  crushed  out  of  existence.  No. 


CONCLUSION.  129 

The  truth  will  stand  alone,  and  unsupported.  Its  own  weight,  simply, 
gives  it  firmness  to  resist  all  shocks  brought  against  it,  to  produce  its 
overthrow.  Like  the  house  built  upon  a  rock,  it  needs  no  props,  no 
certificates,  to  sustain  it.  Storms  of  the  bitterest  persecution  may 
beat  piteously  upon  it,  but  they  cannot  overthrow  it,  for  its  foundation 
is  the  rock  of  eternal  truth.  But  lies,  are  like  the  house  built  upon 
the  sand.  While  it  does  stand,  it  needs  props  or  certificates  on  all 
sides,  to  sustain  it.  And  it  cannot  resist  the  storm  even  of  a  ventila- 
ting breeze  upon  it,  for  it  must  and  will  fall,  with  all  its  accumulated 
props,  before  one  searching  investigation ;  and  the  more  props  it  has 
so  much  the  more  devastation  is  caused  by  its  overthrow. 

And  here  I  wish  to  add,  that  it  was  not  because  Mr.  Packard  was 
a  minister,  that  bigotry  had  power  thus  to  triumph  over  his  manliness, 
but  because  he  was  a  man,  liable  to  be  led  astray  from  the  paths  of 
rectitude  as  other  human  beings  are.  The  ministerial  office  does  not 
insure  men  against  the  commission  of  sins  of  the  darkest  hue,  for  the 
ministry  is  composed  of  men,  who  are  subject  to  like  frailties  and 
passions  as  other  men  are ;  and  ministers,  like  all  other  men,  must 
stand  just  where  their  own  actions  will  place  them,  not  where  their 
position  ought  always  to  find  them.  They  ought  to  be  men  whose 
characters  should  be  unimpeached.  But  they  are  not  all  so.  Neither 
are  all  other  men  what  they  should  be  in  their  position.  It  is  as 
much  the  duty  of  the  minister  to  be  true  to  himself — true  to  the  in- 
stincts of  his  God-like  nature,  as  it  is  other  men.  And  any  deviation 
from  the  path  of  rectitude  which  would  not  be  tolerated  in  any  other 
man,  ought  not  to  be  tolerated  in  a  minister.  In  short,  ministers  must 
stand  on  a  common  level  with  the  rest  of  the  human  race  in  judgment. 
That  is,  they,  like  others,  must  stand  just  where  their  own  conduct 
and  actions  place  them.  If  their  conduct  entitles  them  to  respect,  we 
should  respect  them.  But  if  their  conduct  makes  them  unworthy  of 
our  respect  and  confidence,  it  is  a  sin  to  bestow  it  upon  them ;  for  this 
very  respect  which  we  give  them  ander  such  circumstances,  only  coun- 
tenances their  sin:-,  and  encourages  them  in  iniquity,  and  thus  puts 
their  own  souls  in  jeopardy,  as  well  as  reflects  guilt  on  those  who  thus 
helped  them  work  out  their  own  destruction,  when  they  ought  to  have 
helped  them  work  out  their  own  repentance  for  evil  doing. 
9 


130  MARITAL    POWER   EXEMPLIFIED. 


AN  APPEAL  TO  THE  GOVERNMENT. 

As  my  case  now  stands  delineated  by  the  foregoing  narrative,  all 
the  States  on  this  continent  can  see  just  where  the  common  law  places 
all  married  women.  And  no  one  can  help  saying,  that  any  law  that 
can  be  used  in  support  of  such  a  persecution,  is  a  disgrace  to  any  gov- 
ernment— Christian  or  heathen.  It  is  not  only  a  disgrace,  a  blot  on 
such  a  government,  but  it  is  a  crime,  against  God  and  humanity,  to  let 
confiding,  trusting  woman,  be  so  unprotected  in  law,  from  such  outra- 
geous abuses.  ^ 

Mr.  Packard  has  never  impeached  my  conduct  hi  a  single  instance, 
that  I  know  of;  neither  has  he  ever  charged  me  guilty  of  one  insane 
act— except  that  of  teaching  my  children  doctrines  which  I  believed, 
and  he  did  not  I  This  is  all  he  ever  alleges  against  me.  He  himself 
confirms  the  testimony  of  all  my  friends,  that  I  always  did  discharge 
my  household  duties  in  a  very  orderly,  systematic,  kind,  and  faith- 
ful manner.  In  short,  they  maintain  that  I,  during  all  my  married 
life,  have  been  a  very  self-sacrificing  wife  and  mother,  as  well  as  an 
active  and  exemplary  co-worker  with  him  in  his  ministerial  duties. 

Now  I  have  mentioned  these  facts,  not  for  self-glorification,  but  for 
this  reason,  that  it  may  be  seen  that  good  conduct,  even  the  best  and 
most  praiseworthy,  does  not  protect  a  married  woman  from  the  most 
flagrant  wrongs,  and  wrongs,  too,  for  which  she  has  no  redress  in  the 
present  laws.  If  a  mad  had  suffered  a  tithe  of  the  wrongs  which  I 
have  suffered,  the  laws  stand  ready  to  give  him  redress,  and  thus 
shield  hun  from  a  repetition  of  them.  But  not  so  with  me.  I  must 
suffer  not  only  this  tithe,  with  no  chance  of  redress,  but  ten  times  this 
amount,  and  no  redress  then.  I  even  now  stand  exposed  to  a  life- 
long imprisonment,  so  long  as  my  husband  lives,  while  I  not  only 
have  never  committed  any  crime,  but  on  the  contrary,  have  ever  lived 
a  life  of  self-sacrificing  benevolence,  ever  toiling  for  the  best  interests 
of  humanity. 

Think  again.  After  this  life  of  faithful  service  for  others,  I  am 
thrown  adrift,  at  fifty  years  of  age,  upon  the  cold  world,  with  no  place 
on  earth  I  can  call  home,  and  not  a  penny  to  supply  my  wants  with, 
except  what  my  own  exertion  secures  to  me.  Why  is  this  ?  Be- 
cause he  who  should  have  been  my  protector,  has  been  my  robber, 
and  has  stolen  all  my  life-long  earnings.  And  yet  the  law  does  not 
call  this  stealing,  because  the  husband  is  legally  authorized  to  steal 


APPEAL    TO    THE    GOVERNMENT.  131 

from  the  wife  without  leave  or  license  from  her !  Now,  I  say  it  is  a 
poor  rule  that  dou't  work  both  ways.  Why  can't  the  wife  steal  all 
the  husband  has.  I  am  sure  she  can't  support  herself  as  well  as  he 
can,  and  the  right  of  justice  seems  to  be  on  our  side,  in  our  view. 

But  this  is  not  what  we  want ;  we  don't  wish  to  rob  our  husbands, 
we  only  want  they  should  be  stopped  from  robbing  us.  We  just  ask 
for  the  reasonable  right  to  use  our  own  property  as  if  it  were  our  own, 
that  is,  just  as  we  please,  just  according  to  the  dictates  of  our  own 
judgment.  And  when  we  insist  upon  this  right,  we  dont  want  our 
husbands  to  have  power  to  imprison  us  for  so  doing,  as  my  husband 
did  me.  It  was  in  this  manner  that  I  insisted  upon  my  right  to  my 
property,  with  this  fatal  issue  resulting  from  it 

While  the  discussions  in  our  Bible-class  were  at  the  culminating 
point  of  interest,  Mr.  Packard  came  to  my  room  one  day  and  made 
me  the  following  proposition :  "  Wife,"  said  he,  "  how  would  you  like 
to  go  to  your  brother's  in  Batavia,  and  make  a  visit  ?  " 

Said  I,  "  I  should  like  it  very  well,  since  my  influenza  has  in  some 
degree  prostrated  my  strength,  so  that  I  need  a  season  of  rest ;  and 
besides,  I  should  like  an  excuse  for  retiring  from  this  Bible-class  ex- 
citement, since  the  burden  of  these  discussions  lies  so  heavily  upon 
me,  and  if  it  is  not  running  from  my  post  of  duty,  I  should  like  to 
throw  off  this  mental  burden  also,  and  rest  for  a  season  at  least." 

He  replied,  "  You  have  not  only  a  perfect  right  to  go,  but  I  think 
it  is  your  duty  to  go  and  get  recruited." 

"  Very  well,"  said  I,  "  then  I  will  go,  and  go,  too,  with  the  greatest 
pleasure.  But  how  long  do  you  think  I  had  better  make  my  visit  ?  " 

"  Three  months." 

"  Three  months ! "  said  I,  "  Can  you  get  along  without  me  three 
months  ?  and  what  will  the  children  do  for  their  summer  clothes  with- 
out me  to  make  them  ?  " 

"  I  will  see  to  that  matter ;  you  must  stay  three  months,  or  not 
go  at  all." 

"  Well,  I  am  sure  I  can  stand  it  to  rest  that  length  of  time,  if  you 
can  stand  it  without  my  services.  So  I  will  go.  But  I  must  take  iny 
baby  and  daughter  with  me,  as  they  have  not  fully  recovered  from 
their  influenzas,  and  I  should  not  dare  to  trust  them  away  from  me." 

"  Yes,  you  may  take  them." 

"  I  will  then  prepare  myself  and  them  to  go  just  as  soon  as  you 
see  fit  to  send  us.  Another  thing,  husband,"  said  I,  "  I  shall  want 
ten  dollars  of  my  patrimony  money  to  take  with  me  for  spending 


132  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

money."  (This  patrimony  was  a  present  of  $600.00  my  father  had 
recently  sent  me  for  my  especial  benefit,  and  I  had  put  it  into  Mr. 
Packard's  hands  for  safe  keeping,  taking  his  note  on  interest  as  my 
only  security,  except  with  this  note  he  gave  me  a  written  agreement, 
that  I  should  have  not  only  the  interest,  but  any  part  of  the  principal, 
by  simply  asking  him  for  it  whenever  I  wanted  it.  When  he  ab- 
sconded he  took  not  only  all  this  my  money  patrimony  with  him,  but 
also  stole  all  my  notes  and  private  papers  likewise.) 

"This  you  can't  have,"  said  he. 

"Why  not?  I  shall  need  as  much  as  this,  to  be  absent  three 
months  with  two  sick  children.  I  may  need  to  call  a  Doctor  to  them, 
and,  besides,  my  brother  is  poor,  and  I  am  rich  comparatively,  and  I 
might  need  some  extra  food,  such  as  a  beef-steak,  or  something  of  the 
kind,  and  I  should  not  like  to  ask  him  for  it.  And  besides,  I  have 
your  written  promise  that  I  may  have  my  own  money  whenever  I 
want  it,  and  I  do  want  ten  dollars  of  it  now ;  and  I  think  it  is  no  un- 
reasonable amount  to  take  with  me." 

"  I  don't  think  it  is  best  to  let  you  have  it.  I  shan't  trust  you  with 
money." 

"  Shan't  trust  me  with  money !  Why  not?  Have  I  ever  abused 
this  ti*ust?  Do  not  I  always  give  you  an  exact  account  of  every  cent 
I  spend  ?  And  I  will  this  time  do  so ;  and  besides,  if  you  cannot  trust 
it  with  me,  I  will  put  it  into  brother's  hands  as  soon  as  I  get  there, 
and  not  spend  a  cent  but  by  his  permission." 

"  No,  I  shall  not  consent  to  that." 

"One  thing  more  I  will  suggest.  You  know  Batavia  people  owe 
you  twelve  dollars  for  preaching  one  Sabbath,  and  you  can't  get  your 
pay.  \Now,  supposing  brother  '  dun '  and  get  it,  may  I  not  use  this 
money  if  I  should  chance  to  need  it  in  an  emergency ;  and  if  I  should 
not  need  any,  I  won't  use  a  cent  of  it?  Or,  I  will  write  home  to  you 
and  a.-k  permission  of  you  before  spending  a  dollar  of  it." 

"  No.  You  shall  neither  have  any  money,  nor  have  the  control 
of  any,  for  I  can't  trust  you  with  any." 

"  Well,  husband,  if  I  can't  be  trusted  with  ten  dollars  of  my  own 
mtney  under  the^e  circumstances,  and  with  all  these  provisions  at- 
tached to  it,  I  should  not  think  I  was  capable  of  being  trusted  with 
two  sick  children  three  months  away  from  home  wholly  dependent 
on  a  poor  brother's  charities.  Indeed,  I  had  rather  stay  at  home  and 
not  go  at  all,  rather  than  go  under  such  circumstances." 


APPEAL    TO    THE    GOVERNMENT.  133 

"  You  shall  not  go  at  all ; "  replied  he,  in  a  most  excited,  angiy, 
tone  or'  voice.  "  You  shall  go  into  an  Insane  Asylum ! " 

"  Why,  husband ! "  said  I ;  "  I  did  not  suspect  such  an  alternative. 
I  had  rather  go  to  him  penniless,  and  clotheless  even,  than  go  into  an 
Asylum!" 

"You  have  lost  your  last  chance.     You  shall  go  into  an  Asylum !  " 

And  so  it  proved.  It  was  my  last  chance.  In  a  few  days  I  was 
kidnapped  and  locked  up  in  my  Asylum  prison  for  life,  so  far  as  he 
was  concerned. 

Now,  I  ask  any  developed  man,  who  holds  property  which  is  right- 
fully his  own,  and  no  one's  else,  how  he  would  like  to  exchange  places 
with  me,  and  be  treated  just  as  I  was  treated.  Now,  I  say  it  is  only 
fair  that  the  law  makers  should  be  subject  to  their  own  laws.  That 
is,  they  should  not  make  laws  for  others,  that  they  would  not  be  will- 
ing to  submit  to  themselves  in  exchange  of  circumstances.  Just  put 
the  case  to  yourselves,  and  ask  how  would  you  like  to  be  imprisoned 
without  any  sort  of  trial,  or  any  chance  at  self-defence,  and  then  be 
robbed  of  all  your  life  earnings,  by  a  law  which  women  made  for 
your  good  (?)  as  your  God  appointed  protectors!  O,  my  govern- 
ment— the  men  of  these  United  States — do  bear  with  me  long  enough 
to  just  make  our  case  your  own  for  one  moment,  and  then  let  me 
kindly  ask  you  this  question. 

Won't  you  please  stop  this  robbery  of  our  inalienable  right  to  our 
own  property,  by  some  law,  dictated  by  some  of  your  noble,  manly 
hearts  ?  Do  let  us  have  a  right  to  our  own  home — a  right  to  our  own 
earnings — a  right  to  our  own  patrimony.  A  right,  I  mean,  as  part- 
ners in  the  family  firm.  We  do  not  ask  for  a  separate  interest.  We 
want  an  identification  of  interests,  and  then  be  allowed  a  legal  right 
to  this  common  fund  as  the  junior  partners  of  this  company  interest. 
We  most  cheerfully  allow  you  the  rights  of  a  senior  partner ;  but  we 
do  not  want  you  to  be  senior,  junior,  and  all,  leaving  us  no  rights  at 
all,  in  a  common  interest. 

Again,  we  true,  natural  women,  want  our  own  children  too — we 
can't  live  without  them.  We  had  rather  die  than  have  them  torn 
from  us  as  your  laws  allow  them  to  be.  Only  consider  for  one  mo- 
ment, what  your  laws  are,  in  relation  to  our  own  flesh  and  blood. 
The  husband  has  all  the  children  of  the  married  woman  secured  to 
himself,  to  do  with  them  just  as  he  pleases,  regardless  of  her  protests, 
or  wishes,  or  entreaties  to  the  contrary ;  while  the  children  of  the  sin- 
gle women  are  all  given  to  her  as  her  right  by  nature !  Here  the 


134  MABITAL   POWER   EPEMPLIFIED. 

maternal  nature  of  the  single  woman  is  respected  and  protected,  as  it 
should  be ;  while  the  nature  of  the  married  woman  is  ignored  and  set 
at  naught,  and  the  holiest  instinct  of  woman  is  trampled  in  the  dust 
of  an  utter  despotism.  In  other  words,  the  legitimate  offspring  of  the 
wife  are  not  protected  to  her,  but  given  to  the  husband,  while  the  ille- 
gitimate offspring  of  the  unmarried  women  are  protected  to  her.  So 
that  the  only  way  U>  be  sure  of  having  our  maternity  respected,  and 
our  offspring  legally  protected  to  us,  is  to  have  our  children  in  the  sin- 
gle instead  of  the  married  state ! 

With  shame  I  ask  the  question,  does  not  our  government  here  offer 
a  premium  on  infidelity?  And  yet  this  is  a  Christian  government! 
Why  can't  the  inalienable  rights  of  the  lawful  wife  be  as  much  re- 
spected as  those  of  the  open  prostitute  ?  I  say,  why  ?  Is  it  because 
a  woman  has  no  individuality,  after  she  is  joined  to  a  man  ?  Is  her 
conscience,  and  her  reason,  and  her  thoughts,  all  lost  in  him  ?  So  my 
case  demonstrates  the  law  to  be,  when  practically  tested. 

And  does  not  this  legalized  despotism  put  our  souls  in  jeopardy,  as 
well  as  our  bodies,  and  our  children  ?  It  verily  does.  It  was  to 
secure  the  interests  of  my  immortal  soul,  that  I  have  suffered  all  I 
have  in  testing  these  despotic  laws.  I  would  have  succumbed  long 
ago,  and  said  I  believed  what  I  did  not  believe,  had  it  not  been  that  I 
cared  more  for  the  safety  of  my  own  soul,  than  I  did  the  temporal  wel- 
fare of  my  own  dear  offspring. 

I  could  not  be  true  to  God,  and  also  true  to  the  mandates  of  a  will 
in  opposition  to  God.  And  whose  will  was  to  be  my  guide,  my  hus- 
band's will,  or  God's  will  ?  I  deliberately  chose  to  obey  God  rather 
than  man,  and  in  that  choice  I  made  shipwreck  of  all  my  earthly  good 
things. 

And  one  good  thing  I  sorely  disliked  to  lose,  was  my  fair,  untarn- 
ished reputation  and  influence.  This  has  been  submerged  under  the 
insane  elements  of  this  cruel  persecution.  But  my  character  is  not 
lost,  thank  God  I  nor  is  it  tarnished  by  this  persecution.  For  my 
character  stands  above  the  reach  of  slander  to  harm.  Nothing  can 
harm  this  treasure  but  my  own  actions,  and  these  are  all  guided  and 
controlled  by  Him,  for  whose  cause  I  have  suffered  so  much.  Yes,  to 
God's  grace  alone,  I  can  say  it,  that  from  the  first  to  the  last  of  all  my 
persecutions,  I  have  had  the  comforting  consciousness  of  duty  per- 
formed, and  an  humble  confidence  in  the  approval  of  Heaven.  Strong 
only  in  the  justice  of  my  cause,  and  in  faith  in  God,  I  have  stood 
e,  and  defied  the  powers  of  darkness  to  cast  me  down  to  any  de- 


APPEAL    TO    THE    GOVERXilJiNT.  I3o 

etruction,  which  extended  beyond  this  life.  And  this  desperate  trea- 
son against  manliness  which  has  sought  to  overwhelm  me,  may  yet  be 
the  occasion  of  the  speedier  triumph  of  my  spiritual  freedom,  and  that 
also  of  my  sisters  in  like  bondage  with  myself. 

The  laws  of  our  government  most  significantly  requires  us,  "to  work 
out  our  own  salvation  with  much  fear  and  trembling,"  lest  the  iron 
will  which  would  hold  us  in  subjection,  should  take  from  us  all  our 
earthly  enjoyments,  if  we  dare  to  be  true  to  the  God  principle  within 
us.  So  bitter  has  been  my  cup  of  spiritual  suffering,  while  passing 
through  this  crucible  of  married  servitude,  that  it  seems  like  a  mira- 
cle almost,  that  I  have  not  been  driven  into  insanity,  or  at  least  misan- 
thropy by  it.  But  a  happy  elasticity  of  temperament  conspired  with 
an  inward  consciousness  of  rectitude,  and  disinterestedness,  has  ena- 
bled me  to  despise  these  fiery  darts  of  the  adversary,  as  few  women 
could. 

And  I  cherish  such  a  reverence  for  my  nature,  as  God  has  made 
it,  that  I  cannot  be  transformed  into  a  "  man-hater."  I  thank  God,  I 
was  made,  and  still  continue  to  be,  a  "  man- lover."  Indeed,  my  native 
respect  for  the  manhood  almost  approaches  to  the  feeling  of  reverence, 
when  I  consider  that  man  is  God's  representative  to  me — that  he  is 
endowed  with  the  very  same  attributes  and  feelings  towards  woman 
that  God  has — a  protector  of  the  weak,  not  a  subjector  of  them.  It 
is  the  exceptions,  not  the  masses  of  the  man  race,  who  have  perverted 
or  depraved  their  God-like  natures  into  the  subjectors  of  the  depend- 
ent. The  characteristic  mark  of  this  depraved  class  is  a  "woman- 
hater,"  instead  of  a  "  woman-lover,"  as  God,  by  nature  made  him. 
This  depraved  class  of  men  find  their  counterpart  hi  those  women, 
who  have  perverted  their  natures  from  "men-lovers,"  into  "men- 
haters."  And  man,  with  a  man-hating  wife,  may  need  laws  to  protect 
his  rights,  as  much  as  a  woman,  with  a  woman-hater  for  her  husband. 
Jfiaws  should  take  cognizance  of  improper  actions,  regardless  of  sex  or 
position. 

All  we  ask  of  our  government  is,  to  let  us  stand  just  where  our 
actions  would  place  us,  without  giving  us  either  the  right  or  power  to 
harm  any  one,  not  even  our  own  husbands.  At  least,  give  us  the 
power  to  defend  ourselves,  legally,  against  our  husband's  abuses,  since 
you  have  licensed  him  with  almost  Almighty  power  to  abuse  us.  And 
it  will  be  taking  from  these  women-haters  no  right  to  take  from  them 
the  right  to  abuse  us.  It  may,  on  the  contrary,  do  them  good,  to  be 
compelled  to  treat  us  with  justice,  just  as  you  claim  that  it  will  do  the 


136  MARITAL    POWER    EXEMPLIFIED. 

slave-holder  good,  to  compel  him  to  treat  his  slave  with  justice.  It  is 
oppression  and  abuse  alone  we  ask  you  to  protect  us  against,  and  this 
we  are  confident  you  will  do,  as  soon  as  you  are  convinced  there  is  a 
need  or  necessity  for  so  doing.  And  I  will  repeat,  it  is  for  this  pur- 
pose that  I  have,  hi  this  pamphlet,  delineated  a  subjected  wife's  true, 
legal  position,  by  thus  presenting  my  own  personal,  individual,  expe- 
rience for  your  consideration. 

In  summing  up  this  argument,  based  on  this  dark  chapter  of  a  mar- 
ried woman's  bitter  experience  of  the  evils  growing  out  of  the  law 
of  married  servitude,  I  would  close  with  a  Petition  to  the  Legislatures 
of  all  the  States  bf  this  Union,  that  they  would  so  revolutionize  their 
statute  laws,  as  to  expunge  them  entirely  from  that  most  cruel  and 
degrading  kind  of  despotism,  which  identifies  high,  noble  woman  as  its 
victim.  Let  the  magnanimity  of  your  holy,  God-like  natures,  be  re- 
flected from  your  statute  books,  in  the  women  protective  laws  which 
emanate  from  them.  And  may  God  grant  that  in  each  and  all  of 
these  codes  may  soon  be  found  such  laws  as  guarantee  to  married  wo- 
man a  right  to  her  own  home,  and  a  right  to  be  the  mistress  of  her 
own  household,  and  a  right  to  the  guardianship  of  her  own  minoi 
children*. 

In  other  words,  let  her  be  the  legally  acknowledged  mistress  of  hef 
own  household,  and  a  co-partner,  at  least,  in  the  interests  and  destiny 
of  her  own  offspring.  Let  the  interests  of  the  maternity  be  as  much 
respected,  at  least,  as  those  of  the  paternity;  and  thus  surround  the 
hallowed  place  of  the  wife's  and  mother's  sphere  of  action,  with  a  for- 
tress so  strong  and  invincible,  that  the  single  will  of  a  perverted  man 
cannot  overthrow  it.  For  home  is  woman's  proper  sphere  or  orbit, 
where,  in  my  opinion,  God  designed  she  should  be  the  sovereign  and 
supreme ;  and  also  designed  that  man  should  see  that  this  sphere  of 
woman's  sovereignty  should  be  unmolested  and  shielded  from  any  in- 
vasions, either  foreign  or  internal.  In  other  words,  the  husband  is 
the  God  appointed  agent  to  guard  and  protect  woman  in  this  her  God, 
appointed  orbit.  Just  as  the  moon  is  sovereign  and  supreme  in  her 
minor  orbit,  being  guarded  and  protected  there  by  the  sovereign 
power  of  the  sun,  revolving  in  his  mighty  orbit. 

The  appropriate  sphere  of  woman  being  the  home  sphere,  she 
should  have  a  legal  right  here,  secured  to  her  by  statute  laws,  so  that 
in  case  the  man  who  swore  to  protect  his  wife's  rights  here,  perjures 
himself  by  an  usurpation  of  her  inalienable  rights,  she  can  have  re- 


APPEAL  TO  THE  GOVERNMENT.         .     Id7 

dress,  and  thus  secure  that  protection  in  the  law,  which  is  denied  her 
by  her  husband. 

In  short,  woman  needs  legal  protection  t*s  a  married  woman.  She 
has  a  right  to  be  a  married  woman,  therefore  she  has  a  right  to  be 
protected  as  a  married  woman.  If  she  cannot  have  protection  as  a 
married  woman,  it  is  not  safe  for  her  to  marry ;  for  my  case  demon- 
strates the  fact,  that  the  good  conduct  of  the  wife  is  no  guarantee  of  pro- 
tection to  her ;  neither  is  the  most  promising  developments  of  man- 
hood, proof  against  depravity  of  nature,  approximating  very  near  to 
the  point  of  "  total  depravity,"  and  then  woe  to  that  wife  and  mother, 
who  has  no  protection  except  that  of  a  totally  depraved  man ! 

But,  some  may  argue,  that  woman  is  already  recognized  in  several 
of  the  States  as  an  individual  property  owner,  and  as  one  who  can  do 
business  on  a  capital  of  her  own,  independent  of  her  husband.  Yes, 
we  do  most  gratefully  acknowledge  this  as  the  day  star  of  hope  to  us, 
that  the  tide  is  even  now  set  in  the  right  direction.  But  allow  me  to 
say,  this  does  not  reach  the  main  point  we  are  aiming  to  establish, 
which  is,  that  woman  should  be  a  legal  partner  in  the  family  firm,  not 
a  mere  appendage  to  it.  This  principle  of  separating  the  interests 
of  the  married  pair  is  not  wholesome  nor  salutary  in  its  results.  It 
tends  towards  an  isolation  of  interests ;  whereas  it  is  an  identification 
of  interests,  which  the  marriage  contract  should  form  and  cement. 
We  want  an  equality  of  rights,  so,  far  as  copartners  are  concerned. 
These  property  rights  should  be  so  identified  as  to  command  the  mu- 
tual respect  of  partners,  whose  interests  are  one  and  the  same.  In 
short,  the  wife  should  be  the  junior  partner,  and  law  should  recognize 
her  as  such,  by  protecting  to  her  the  rights  of  a  junior  partner,  and 
her  husband  should  be  the  legally  constituted  senior  partner  of  the 
family  firm.  Then,  and  only  till  then,  is  she  his  companion  on  an  equal- 
ity, in  legal  standing,  with  her  husband,  and  sharing  with  him  the 
protection  of  that  government,  which  she  has  done  so  much  to  sustain  ; 
which  government  is  based  on  the  great  fundamental  principle  of  God's 
government,  namely,  an  equality  of  rights  to  all  accountable  moral 
agents.  Our  government  can  never  echo  this  heavenly  principle, 
until  it  defends  "  equal  rights,"  independent  of  sex  or  color. 


APPENDIX. 


REV.  SAMUEL  WARE'S  CERTIFICATE  TO  THE  PUBLIC. 

"Tnis  is  to  certify  that  the  certificates  which  have  appeared  in 
public  in  relation  to  my  daughter's  sanity,  were  given  upon  the  con- 
viction that  Mr.  Packard's  representations  respecting  her  condition 
were  true,  and  were  given  wholly  upon  the  authority  of  Mr.  Pack- 
ard's own  statements.  I  do  therefore  certify  that  it  is  now  my  opin- 
ion that  Mr.  Packard  has  had  n®  cause  for  treating  my  daughter 
Elizabeth  as  an  insane  person. 

SAMUEL  WARE. 

Attest,  OLIVE  WARE, 

AusTiri'  WARE, 
SOUTH  DEEBFIELD,  AUG.  21,  1866." 

The  reader  should  be  informed  that  the  above  certificate  was  given 
after  I  had  been  a  member  of  my  father's  family  for  six  months,  thus 
affording  him  ample  opportunity  to  judge  of  my  real  condition,  by  his 
own  personal  observation,  since  Mr.  Packard,  and  his  co-conspirator, 
Dr.  McFarland,  the  Superintendent  of  the  Asylum,  both  insist  upon 
it,  that  I  am  now  in  just  the  same  condition  in  reference  to  my  sanity, 
that  I  was  when  I  was  kidnapped  and  forced  into  my  prison.  There- 
fore, when  my  own  dear  father's  eyes  were  fully  opened  to  see  the 
deception  that  had  been  employed  to  secure  his  influence  in  support 
of  this  cruel  conspiracy,  he  felt  conscience  bound  to  give  the  above 
certificate  in  vindication  of  the  truth.  Another  evidence  of  my  Fath- 
er's entire  confidence  in  my  sanity  is  found  in  the  fact  that  about  this 
time  he  re-wrote  his  will,  and  so  changed  it  that,  instead  of  now  giv- 
ing me  my  patrimony  "in  trust"  as  before,  he  has  bestowed  it  upon 
me,  his  only  daughter,  in  precisely  the  same  manner,  and  upon  equal 
terms  every  way  with  my  two  only  brothers. 


MRS.  PACKARD'S  ADDRESS  TO  THE  ILLINOIS  LEGISLATURE. 


GENTLEMEN  OF  ILLINOIS  GENERAL  ASSEMBLY: 

Thankful  for  the  privilege  granted  me,  I  will  simply  state  that  I 
desire  to  explain  my  bill  rather  than  defend  it,  since  I  am  satisfied  it 
needs  no  defense  to  secure  its  passage  by  this  gallant  body  of  gen- 
tlemen. 

I  desire  to  make  this  public  statement  of  some  of  the  facts  of  my 
personal  experience,  relative  to  my  incarceration  in  Jacksonville 
Insane  Asylum,  that  you,  the  law-makers  of  this  State,  may  see  from 
the  standpoint  of  my  own  individual  wrongs,  the  legal  liabilities  to 
which  all  married  women  and  infants  have  been  exposed  for  the  last 
sixteen  years,  to  false  imprisonments  in  Jacksonville  Insane  Asylum, 
under  the  act  passed  in  1851,  viz. : 

"  Married  women  and  infants  who,  in  the  judgment  of  the  Medical 
Superintendent,"  (meaning  the  Superintendent  of  Illinois  State  Hos- 
pital for  the  Insane,)  u  are  evidently  insane  or  distracted,  may  be 
entered  or  detained  in  the  hospital,  on  the  request  of  the  husband  of 
the  woman  or  the  guardian  of  the  infant,  without  the  evidence  of 
insanity  required  in  other  cases." 

This  act  was  nominally  repealed  in  1865  ;  but,  practically,  is  still 
existing,  in  retaining. those  who  have  been  previously  entered  without 
evidence  of  insanity,  and  in  receiving  others,  regardless  of  the  law  of 
*65,  which  demands  a  fair  trial  of  all  before  commitment.  In  short, 
the  present  law  is  not  in  all  cases  enforced,  but  this  unjust  law  is  still 
in  practical  force  in  many  instances. 

Therefore,  your  petitioners,  men  of  the  first  legal  character  and 
standing  in  Chicago,  in  asking  for  the  repeal  of  this  unjust  law,  not 
only  ask  for  the  enforcement  of  the  new  law  by  a  penalty,  but  also 
that  a  jury  trial  may  be  forthwith  extended  to  the  unfortunate  victims 
of  this  unjust  law,  who  are  now  confined  in  Jacksonville  Insane 
Asylum. 

In  detailing  the  practical  working  of  this  law  in  my  case,  I  must 
rely  upon  your  good  sense  to  pardon  the  egotistical  character  of  the 
following  statement. 


2  ADDRESS  TO  THE 

I  am  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  the  only  daughter  of  an  orthodox 
clergyman  of  the  Congregational  denomination,  and  the  wife  of  a 
Congregational  clergyman,  who  was  preaching  to  a  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Manteno,  Kankakee  Co.,  111.,  when  this  legal  persecution 
commenced. 

I  have  been  educated  a  Calvinist,  after  the  strictest  sect,  but  as 
my  reasoning  faculties  have  been  developed  by  a  thorough,  scientific 
education,  I  have  been  led,  by  -the  simple  exercise  of  my  own  rea?on 
and  common  sense,  to  endorse  theological  views,  in  conflict  with  my 
educated  belief  and  the  creed  of  the  church  with  which  I  am  con- 
nected. In  short,  from  my  present  standpoint,  I  cannot  but  believe 
that  the  doctrine  of  total  depravity,  (which  is  the  great  backbone  of 
the  Calvinistic  system,)  conflicts  with  the  dictates  of  reason,  common 
sense,  and  the  Bible. 

And,  gentlemen,  the  only  crime  I  have  committed  is  to  dare  to  be 
true  to  these,  my  honest  convictions,  and  to  give  utterance  to  these 
views  in  a  Bible  class  in  Manteno,  at  the  special  request  of  the  teacher 
of  that  class,  and  with  the  full  and  free  consent  of  my  husband. 

But  the  popular  endorsement  of  these  new  views  by  the  class  and 
the  community  generally,  led  my  husband  and  his  Calvinistic  Church 
to  fear,  lest  their  Church  creed  would  suffer  serious  detriment  by  this 
license  of  private  judgment  and  free  inquiry,  and  as  these  liberal 
views  emanated  from  his  own  family,  and  he,  (for  reasons  best  known 
to  himself,)  declining  to  meet  me  on  the  open  arena  of  argument  and 
free  discussion,  chose,  rather,  to  use  this  marital  power  which  your 
laws  license  him  to  use,  and  as  this  unjust  law  permits,  and  got  me 
imprisoned  at  Jacksonville  Insane  Asylum,  without  evidence  of  in- 
sanity, and  without  any  trial,  hoping,  as  he  told  me,  that  by  this 
means  he  could  destroy  my  moral  influence,  and  thereby  defend  the 
cause  of  Christ,  as  he  felt  bound  to  do ! 

It  was  under  these  circumstances  I  was  legally  kidnapped,  as  your 
laws  allow,  and  imprisoned  three  years  at  Jacksonville,  simply  for 
claiming  a  right  to  my  own  thoughts.  The  first  intimation  I  had  of 
this  legal  exposure,  was  by  two  men  entering  my  room,  on  the  1 8th 
of  June,  1860,  and  kidnapping  me.  Two  of  his  Church-member.--, 
attended  by  Sheriff  Burgess  of  Kankakee,  took  me  up  in  their  arms 
and  carried  me  to  the  wagon,  and  thence  to  the  cars,  in  spite  of  rcy 
lady-like  protests,  and  regardless  of  all  my  entreaties  for  some  sort 
of  trial  before  imprisonment. 

My  husband  replied,  "  I  am  doing  as  the  laws  of  Illinois  allow  me 
to  do — you  have  no  protection  in  law  but  myself,  and  I  am  pro- 


ILLINOIS  LEGISLATURE.  g 

teeting  you  now  ;  it  is  for  your  good  I  am  doing  this  ;  I  want  to  save 
your  soul;  you  don't  believe  in  total  depravity;  I  want  to  make  you 
right." 

"  Husband,"  said  I,  "  have  not  I  a  right  to  my  opinion  ?  " 

"  Yes,  you  have  a  right  to  your  opinions  if  you  think  right." 

"  But  does  not  the  constitution  defend  the  right  of  religious  toler- 
ance to  all  American  citizens  ?  " 

"  Yes,  to  all  citizens  it  does  defend  this  right,  but  you  are  not  a 
citizen ;  while  a  married  woman,  you  are  a  legal  nonentity,  without 
even  a  soul  in  law.  In  short,  you  are  dead  as  to  any  legal  exist- 
ence, while  a  married  woman,  and  therefore  have  no  legal  protection 
as  a  married  woman." 

Thus  I  learned  my  first  lesson  in  that  chapter  of  "  common  law," 
which  denies  to  married  women  a  legal  right  to  their  own  individ- 
uality or  identity. 

Here  I  was  taken  from  my  little  family  of  six  children,  while  my 
babe  was  only  eighteen  months  old,  while  in  the  faithful  discharge  of 
all  my  duties  as  wife  and  mother,  having  done  all  my  own  work  for 
twenty-one  years,  besides  educating  our  own  children,  and  nearly 
fitting  our  oldest  son  for  college ;  in  perfect  health  and  sound  mind, 
and  forced  into  an  imprisonment  of  an  indefinite  length,  without  the 
mere  form  of  a  trial,  and  without  any  chance  at  self-defense. 

True,  my  husband  did  even  more  than  this  "  unjust  law  "  demands, 
for  he  did  get  the  certificates  of  two  orthodox  physicians  that  I  was 
insane — like  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  and  Horace  Greeley,  and  Spur- 
geon,  and  three-fourths  of  the  religious  community ;  and,  besides,  he 
obtained  the  names  of  forty  others,  mostly  his  own  Church  members, 
who  thus  co-conspired  to  sustain  their  minister  in  this  mode  of  de- 
fending the' cause  of  Christ  against  the  contagious  influence  of  dan- 
gerous heresies  aiwl  fatal  errors. 

The  influence  of  the  community  outside  of  the  Church  was  thrown 
into  the  opposite  scale  entirely  ;  but  their  influence  was  overpowered 
by  the  majesty  of  the  law,  added  to  the  dignity  of  the  pulpit.  I  was 
conveyed  by  Sheriff  Burgess,  Deacon  Dole  and  Mr.  Packard  to  your 
State  Hospital,  in  defiance  of  the  indignant  community  who  had  as- 
sembled at  the  depot  in  large  crowds  to  defend  me.  Dr.  Simming- 
ton,  the  Methodist  minister  at  Manteno,  remarked  to  me,  "Mrs. 
Packard,  you  will  not  be  there  long,"  and  plainly  intimated  that,  in 
his  opinion,  no  man  was  fit  for  his  position  who  would  retain  such  an 
inmate  as  myself. 


4  ADDRESS  TO  THE 

Dr.  McFarland,  of  course,  was  obliged  to  receive  me  on  this  super- 
abundant testimony  that  I  was  an  insane  person,  although  he  apolo- 
gized to  me  afterwards  for  receiving  me  at  all,  and  for  four  months 
he  treated  me  himself,  and  caused  me  to  be  treated,  with  all  the 
respect  of  a  hotel  boarder.  He  even  trusted  me  with  the  entire 
charge  of  a  carriage  load  of  insane  patients,  and  the  care  of  my  own 
team,  fourteen  times ;  sometimes  I  would  be  absent  nearly  a  half  * 
day  on  some  pleasant  excursion  to  the  fair-grounds  or  cemetery,  and 
he  never  expressed  the  least  solicitude  for  our  safe  return.  Indeed, 
he  trusted  me  almost  in  every  situation  he  would  trust  the  matron. 

But,  at  the  expiration  of  this  time,  with  no  change  whatever  in  my 
deportment,  I  forfeited  all  his  good-will  and  favors,  by  presenting 
him  a  written  reproof  for  his  abuse  of  his  patients,  which  was  after- 
wards printed,  wherein  I  told  him  I  should  expose  hirn  when  I  got 
out,  unless  he  treated  his  patients  with  more  justice. 

He  then  removed  me  from  the  best  ward  to  the  worst,  where  were 
confined  the  most  dangerous  class  of  patients,  and  instructed  his  at- 
tendants to  treat  me  just  as  they  did  the  maniacs,  and  be  sure  to  keep 
me  a  close  prisoner,  and  on  no  account  to  allow  me  to  leave  the 
ward,  and  compel  me  to  sleep  in  a  dormitory  with  from  three  to  six 
crazy  patients,  where  my  life  was  exposed,  both  night  as  well  as  day, 
with  no  room  of  my  own  to  flee  to  for  safety  from  their  insane  flights 
and  dangerous  attacks. 

I  have  been  dragged  around  this  ward  by  the  hair  of  my  head  by 
the  maniacs ;  I  have  received  blows  from  them  that  almost  killed 
me.  My  seat  at  the  table  was  by  the  side  of  Mrs.  Triplet,  the  most 
dangerous  and  violent  patient  in  the  whole  ward,  who  almost  invar- 
iably threatened  to  kill  me  every  time  I  went  to  the  table.  I  liave 
had  to  dodge  the  knives  and  forks  and  tumblers  and  chairs  which 
have  been  hurled  in  promiscuous  profusion  about  my  head,  to  avoid 
some  fatal  blow.  I  have  begged  and  besought  Dr.  McFarland  to 
remove  me  to  some  place  of  safety,  where  my  life  would  not  be  so 
exposed,  only  to  see  him  turn,  speechless,  away  from  me !  I  have 
endured  the  scent  and  filth  of  a  ward,  from  which  my  delicate,  sensi- 
tive nature  revolts  in  loathsome  disgust,  until  I  had  had  time  to  clean 
the  whole  ward  with  my  own  hands,  before  it  could  be  a  decent 
place  for  human  beings  to  inhabit. 

From  this  eighth  ward  I  was  not  removed  until  I  was  discharged, 
two  years  and  eight  months  from  the  day  I  was  consigned  to  it.  I 
did  not  set  my  foot  upon  the  ground  in  the  mean  time,  although,  for 
the  last  part  of  my  imprisonment  there,  Dr.  McFarland  exchanged 


ILLINOIS  LEGISLATURB.  5 

some  of  the  noisiest  and  most  boisterous  patients  for  a  more  quiet 
class. 

1  have  been  threatened  with  the  screen-room,  and  this  threat  has 
been  accompanied  with  the  flourish  of  a  butcher  knife  over  my  head, 
for  simply  passing  a  piece  of  johnny-cake  through  a  crack  under  my 
door  to  a  hungry  patient,  who  was  locked  in  her  room  to  Buffer  star- 
vation as  her  discipline  for  her  insanity. 

I  have  heard  a  fond  and  tender  mother  begging  and  pleading,  for  one 
whole  night  and  part  of  a  day,  for  one  drink  of  cold  water,  but  all  in 
vain !  simply  because  she  had  annoyed  her  attendant,  by  crying  to 
see  her  darling  babe  and  dear  little  ones  at  home.  I  finally  persuaded 
the  matron,  Mrs.  Waldo,  to  interpose,  and  give  her  a  drink  of  water. 

There  was  but  one  of  all  the  employees  at  that  Asylum  whom  the 
Dr.  could  influence  to  treat  me,  personally,  like  an  insane  person. 
This  was  Mrs.  De  La  Hay.  Besides  threatening  me  with  the 
screen-room,  as  I  have  stated,  she  threatened  to  jacket  me  for  speak- 
ing at  the  table. 

One  day,  after  ?he  had  been  treating  her  patients  with  great  injus- 
tice and  cruelty,  I  addressed  Mrs.  McKonkey,  who  sat  next  to  me  at 
the  table,  and  in  an  undertone  remarked,  "  I  am  thankful  there  is  a 
recording  angel  present,  noting  what  is  going  on  in  these  wards ; " 
when  Mrs.  De  La  Hay,  overhearing  my  remark,  exclaimed  in  a  very 
angry  tone,  "Mrs.  Packard,  stop  your  voice!  if  you  speak  another 
word  at  the  table  I  shall  put  a  straight  jacket  on  you  ! " 

Mrs.  Lovel,  one  of  the  patients,  replied,  "  Mrs.  De  La  Hay,  did 
you  ever  have  a  straight  jacket  on  yourself?" 

"  No,  my  position  protects  me  !  but  I  would  as  soon  put  one  on 
Mrs.  Packard  as  any  other  patient,  '  recording  angel '  or  no  '  record- 
ing angel,'  and  Dr.  MeFarland  will  protect  me  in  doing  so,  too  ! " 

The  indignant  feeling  of  the  house  soon  became  so  demonstrative, 
in  view  of  the  treatment  I  was  receiving,  that  the  Dr.  seemed  com- 
pelled to  discharge  Mrs.  De  La  Hay  to  Defend  his  own  character 
from  the  charge  of  abusing  me,  and  Mrs.  De  La  Hay  soon  after  be- 
came insane,  and  a  tenant  of  Jacksonville  poor-house. 

He  cut  me  off"  from  all  written  communication  with  the  outside 
world,  except  under  the  strictest  censorship,  and  made  it  a  discharge- 
able  offence  of  his  employees  to  permit  me  to  have  any  means  of 
communication  with  the  outside  world,  He  has  refused  Mrs.  Judge 
Thomas  and  other  friends,  whom  ho  knpw  desired  to  comfort  me 
with  human  sympathy  and  some  choi  viands,  admission  into  my 
presence,  and  has  put  them  off  with  the  inquiry,  "  why  do  you  wish 


6  ADDRESS  TO  THE 

to  single  out  Mrs.  Packard  from  the  other  patients,  to  administer  to 
her  comfort  ?  "  and  when  asked  by  his  guests,  who  often  mistook  me 
for  the  matron,  ".why  he  kept  so  intelligent  a  lady  in  an  Insane 
Asylum  ?  "  he  would  reply,  "  you  must  not  take  any  notice  of  what 
a  patient  says ! "  And  the  reply  he  would  make  to  my  indignant 
friends  at  the  hospital,  who  ventured  sometimes  to  inquire  "  why  are 
you  treating  Mrs.  Packard  in  this  manner?"  has  invariably  been, 
"  it  is  all  tor  her  good ! " 

Time  will  not  allow  me  to  detail  my  sufferings  and  persecutions  at 
that  hospital ;  I  will  only  add,  may  the  Lord  forgive  Dr.  McFarland 
for  the  injustice  I  have  suffered  at  his  hands  !  And  God  grant  that 
the  legislature  of  1867  may  have  the  moral  courage  to  effectually 
remove  the  liabilities  to  a  repetition  of  wrongs  like  my 'own  ! 

Various  attempts  were  made  by  my  Manteno  friends  to  rescue  me, 
but  all  in  vain.  My  legal  non-existence  rendered  it  difficult  to  ex- 
tend legal  aid  to  a  nonentity,  except  it  come  through  the  identity  of 
my  only  legal  protector,  and  so  long  as  it  was  possible  to  cut  me  off 
from  any  direct  application  for  deliverance,  he  could  ward  off  the 
habeas  corpus  investigation  they  wished  to  institute,  and  as  long  as 
the  Doctor  claimed  I  was  insane,  so  long  this  unjust  law  consigned 
me  to  leg  il  imprisonment.  My  relatives  and  other  friends  applied  to 
lawyers,  judges  and  the  Governor  in  my  behalf,  but  all  in  vain,  as 
these  officers  were  only  authorized  to  administer  existing  laws  ;  they 
could  neither  repeal  them  nor  act  contrary  to  them.  On  the  18th  of 
June,  18(53,  I  was  finally  removed  from  my  asylum  prison,  by  order 
of  the  Tru  tees,  as  the  result  of  a  personal  interview  \vhich  Dr.  Mc-^ 
Farland  kindly  consented  to  grant  me,  and  put  again  into  the  custody 
of  my  husband,  who  consigned  me  to  a  prison  in  my  own  house, 
claiming,  as  his  excuse,  that  I  was  just  as  insane  as  when  I  was  en- 
tered just  three  years  previously,  for  I  had  neither  recanted  nor 
yielded  my  right  to  my  identity :  therefore,  in  the  judgment  of  your 
superintendent,  I  am  hopelessly  insane,  and  am  doomed,  by  his  cer- 
tificates, to  a  life-long  imprisonment  in  the  Insane  Asylum  at  North- 
ampton, Mass.,  and  my  husband  was  just  on  the  point  of  starting 
with  me  for  a  consignment  in  that  living  tomb,  when  he  was  arrested 
by  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus,  issued  by  judge  Starr,  of  Kankahee  City, 
and  used  by  my  Manteno  friends  in  defence  of  my  personal  liberty. 
I  was  now  where  I  could  make  direct  application,  by  passing  a  letter 
clandestinely  through  a  crack  in  my  window. 

The  trial  lasted  five  days,  and  resulted  in  a  complete  vindication 
of  my  sanity,  although  his  witnesses  swore  that  it  was  evidence  of 


ILLINOIS  LEGISLATURE.  f 

insanity  for  a  person  to  wish  to  leave  a  Presbyterian  church  and 
join  a  Methodist !  A  full  account  of  this  trial  is  found  m  uu.=  -  Tnree 
Years  Imprisonment  for  Religious  Belief."  It  was  reported  by  one 
of  my  lawyers,  and  is  an  impartial  record  of  the  whole  case. 

During  the  trial,  Mr.  Packard  "  fled  his  country"  in  the  night,  to 
avoid  the  danger  of  a  mob  retribution.     He  took  with  him  all  our  i 
personal  property,  even  my  own  wardrobe  and  children,  and  rented! 
our  home,  so  that  I  found  myself,  at  the  close  of  court,  homeless, 
penniless  and  childless. 

And  this,  gentlemen,  is  legal  usurpation,  also,  on  the  slavish  prin- 
ciple of  common  law — the  legal  nonentity  of  the  wife,  the  man  and 
wife  being  one,  and  the  one,  the  man!  Gentlemen,  we  married 
women  need  emancipation ;  and  will  ,you  not  be  the  pioneer  State  in 
our  Union,  in  woman's  emancipation  ?  and  thus  use  my  martyrdom 
for  the  identity  of  a  married  woman,  to  herald  this  most  glorious  of 
all  reforms — married  woman's  legal  emancipation,  from  that  of  a  slave 
in  law,  to  that  of  a  partner  and  companion  of  her  husband,  in  law, 
as  she  now  is  in  society? 

And,  lest  there  be  a  misunderstanding  on  this  subject,  permit  me 
here  to  explain  what  kind  of  slavery  I  refer  to.  This  slavish  posi- 
tion which  the  principles  of  common  law  assigns  the  married  woman, 
is  a  relic  of  barbarism,  which  the  progress  of  civilization  will,  doubt- 
less, ere  long,  annihilate.  In  the  dark  ages,  married  woman  was  a 
slave  to  her  husband,  both  socially  and  legally ,but,  as  civilization  has 
progressed,  she  has  outgrown  her  social  position — that  of  a  slave — and 
is  now  regarded  in  society  as  the  companion  and  partner  of  her  hus- 
band. •  But  the  law  has  not  progressed  with  civilization,  so  that  mar- 
ried woman  is  still  a  slave,  legally,  while  she  is  his  companion, 
socially. 

Man,  we  know,  is  woman's  natural  protector,  and,  in  most  instan- 
ces, is  all  the  protection  a  married  woman  needs.  Still,  as  the  laws 
are  made  for  the  exceptional  cases,  where  man  is  not  a  law  unto  him- 
self, what  can  be  the  harm  in  emancipating  woman  from  this  slavish 
position,  so  that  she  can  receive  governmental  protection  of  her  right 
to  "  life,  liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness,"  as  well  as  the  mar- 
ital protection?  So,  in  case  where  the  marital  fails,  she  can  have 
legal  protection,  while  married  as  well  as  when  single.  Then  when 
vour  darling  daughter  is  called  to  exchange  the  paternal  protection 
for  the  marital,  she  will  not  be  obliged  to  alienate  her  right  to  gov- 
ernmental protection  by  this  exchange  of  her  natural  protectors,  but 
she,  the  tenderest  and  the  best,  can  then  claim  of  her  government, 


g  ADDRESS  10  THE 

•while  a  married  woman,  the  same  protection  of  her  rights  as  a 
woman,  wliich  your  sons  now  claim  as  men. 

The  need  of  this  radical  change  hi  married  woman's  legal  position 
is  more  fully  elucidated  in  this  book,  which  contains  a  detailed  ac- 
count of  my  persecutions  in  Illinois,  when  your  State  hospital  was 
used,  in  my  case,  as  an  inquisition.  My  object  in  bringing  these  facts 
to  your  notice  is  to  secure  legislative  action,  where  these  facts  show 
the  need  of  action. 

In  conclusion,  gentlemen  of  this  Assembly,  may  I  be  allowed  to 
read  a  few  extracts  from  Dr.  McFarland's  published  letters  on  this 
subject,  showing,  from  his  own  words,  his  ground  of  self-defense. 

The  Doctor  says :  u  All  Mrs.  Packard's  wrongs,  persecutions  and 
sufferings,  of  every  description,  tare  utterly  the  creation  of  a  diseased 
imagination." 

Now,  I  ask,  is  this  so  ?  Can  facts  be  transmuted  into  fiction  by 
the  simple  assertion  of  one  man  ?  And  is  it  a  mere  creation  of  a 
diseased  imagination  that  has  torn  me  from  my  helpless  babe  and  de- 
prived my  darling  children  of  a  fond  mother's  tender  care  ?  Is  it 
the  mere  creation  of  a  diseased  imagination  to  find  that  good  conduct, 
not  even  the  best,  is  any  guarantee  of  protection  to  a  wife  and  moth- 
er under  Illinois  laws  ? 

Neither  Dr.  McFarland  nor  Mr.  Packard  himself,  has  ever  denied 
one  of  the  facts  in  the  statement  I  have  made ;  but  as  their  only 
justification,  they  claim  that  I  am  insane — and  the  only  proof  of  in- 
sanity they  have  ever  brought  in  support  of  this  opinion  is,  "her 
views  of  things,"  as  the  Doctor  expresses  himself,  or.  my  private, 
individual  opinions. 

Now  I  wish  to  ask  the  gentlemen  of  this  Assembly,  if,  for  my 
using  my  right  of  opinion,  or  my  right  of  private  judgment,  the 
public  sentiment  of  this  age  is  going  to  justify  Illinois  in  keeping 
me  a  prisoner  three  years,  under  the  subterfuge  of  insanity,  based 
wholly  upon  my  "  views  of  things  ?" 

Just  consider,  for  one  moment,  the  principle.  Here  my  personal 
liberty,  for  life,  hangs  suspended  wholly  on  the  opinion  of  this  one 
man,  whom  policy  or  interest  might  tempt  to  say  I  was  insane  when 
I  was  not ;  for  this  law  expressly  states  that  the  class  I  represent 
may  be  imprisoned  without  evidence  of  insanity,  and  without  trial ! 

Just  make  the  case  your  own,  gentlemen :  would  it  be  easy  for 
you  to  realize  that  it  was  a  mere  creation  of  your  imagination  to 
have  two  men  take  you  by  force  from  your  business  and  family,  with- 
out evidence  of  insanity  and  without  trial,  and  your  kidnappers  claim 


ILLINOIS  LEGISLATURE  9 

as  their  only  justification,  that  you  are  insane  on  some  point  in  your 
religious  belief,  simply  because  Dr.  McFarland  says  you  are,  and 
then  lock  you  up  for  life,  on  his  single  testimony,  without  proof  ? 

Now  we,  married  women  and  infants,  have  had  our  personal  liberty, 
for  sixteen  years,  suspended  on  this  one  man's  opinion ;  and  possibly  he 
may  be  found  to  be  a  fallible  man,  and  capable  of  corruption,  if  we 
may  be  allowed  to  judge  of  this  great  man  from  the  standpoint  of 
his  own  words  and  actions. 

Now,  if  the  Doctor  was  required  to  prove  his  patients  insane,  from 
their  own  conduct,  there  would  be  a  shadow  of  justice  attached  to 
his  individual  judgment ;  but  while  this  law  allows  him  to  call  them 
insane,  and  treat  them  as  insane,  without  evidence  of  insanity,  where 
is  the  justice  of  such  a  decision  ? 

You  do  not  hang  a  person  without  proof  from  the  accused's  own 
actions  that  he  is  guilty  of  the  charge  which  forfeits  his  life.  So  the 
personal  liberty  of  married  women  should  not  be  sacrificed  without 
proof  that  they  are  insane,  from  their  own  conduct. 

When  Dr.  McFarland  has  brought  forward  one  proof  from  my 
own  conduct,  by  one  insane  act  of  my  own,  in  support  of  his  posi- 
tion, I  will  then  say  he  has  cause  for  calling  me  an  insane  person ; 
but  until  that  time  arrives,  I  claim  he  is  begging  the  question  en- 
tirely, in  calling  me  an  insane  person,  without  one  evidence  to  sus- 
tain his  charge. 

Gentlemen,  it  is  not  merely  for  my  own  self-defence  from  this 
unpleasant  charge,  that  I  lay  this,  argument  before  you,  but  it  is  that 
you  may  see,  from  my  standpoint,  how  exceedingly  frail  is  the  thread 
on  which  our  reputation  for  sanity  is  suspended,  and  how  very  liable 
married  women  and  infants  are  to  be  thus  falsely  imprisoned  in  Jack- 
sonville Insane  Asylum. 

If  my  testimony  might  be  allowed  to  add  weight  to  this  suspicion 
or  presumption,  I  would  state  that,  to  my  certain  knowledge,  there 
were  married  women  there  when  I  left,  more  than  three  years  since, 
who  were  not  insane  then  at  all,  and  they  are  still  retained  there,  as 
hopelessly  insane  patients,  on  the  simple  strength  of  the  above 
ground  of  evidence  ;  and  it  is  my  womanly  sympathy  for  this  class 
of  prisoners  that  has  moved  me  to  come,  alone,  from  Massachusetts, 
in  the  depth  of  winter,  to  see  if  I  could  not  possibly  induce  this  leg- 
islature to  compassionate  their  case :  for  it  is  under  your  laws,  gen- 
tlemen, I  have  suffered,  and  they  are  still  $un°ering,  and  it  is  to  this 
legislature  of  1867  that  we  apply  for  a  legal  remedy  ;  and  we  confi- 
dently trust  you  will  vindicate  the  honor  of  your  State  in  the  action 


JO  ADDRESS  TO  THE 

you  take  upon  this  subject.  "We  trust  you  will  not  only  have  the 
manliness  aud  moral  courage  to  repeal  this  unjust  law,  forthwith,  but 
also  extend,  promptly,  a  just  trial  to  its  wronged  and  injun-d  victims. 

Again,  Dr.  McFarland  writes:  "  Mr.  Packard  is  suffering  from  a 
cause  which  only  gather  his  church  and  the  public  about  him,  in  the 
bonds  of  a  generous  sympathy." 

I  reply  to  this  assertion  by  stating  a  few  simple  fact?.  Mr.  Pack- 
ard's church  and  people  in  Manteno,  Illinois  withdrew  from  him  their 
confidence  and  support,  while  I  was  incarcerated,  instead  of  gather- 
ing about  him,  because  public  sentiment  would  not  tolerate  him,  as  a 
minister,  with  this  stigma  upon  him ;  and  it  was  the  fear  of  lynch  law 
which  drove  him  from  this  State  during  the  court,  to  seek  shelter  and 
employment  in  Massachusetts,  his  native  State.  There  he  suc- 
ceeded in  securing  a  place  as  stated  supply,  by  ignoring  the  decision 
of  your  court,  and  by  misrepresenting  the  west  to  be  in  such  a  i-emi- 
barbarous  state  that  it  was  impossible  to  get  a  just  decision  at  any 
legal  tribunal  in  this  uncivilized  region,  where,  he  tells  them,  "  a 
large  portion  of  community  were  more  intent  on  giving  Presbyterian- 
ism  a  blow,  than  in  investigating  the  question  of  Mrs.  Packard's 
insanity ! " 

He  occupied  his  new  field  in  Sunderland,  Mass.,  fifteen  months, 
when  I  returned  to  my  father's  house  in  Sunderland,  on  a  visit,  and 
the  result  was,  my  personal  presence,  together  with  the  facts  in  the 
case,  upset  him,  so  that  neither  Sunderland  nor  any  other  society  in 
New  England  can  be  induced  to  employ  him  in  defiance  of  enlight- 
ened public  sentiment.  Indeed,  the  public  sentiment  of  New  Eng- 
land has  so  blighted  and  withered  his  ministerial  influence,  that  the 
remark  of  a  lawyer  in  Worcester,  Mass.,  made  a  few  months  since, 
reflects  his  true  social  position  there,  at  present.  Said  he,  "  there  is 
not  a  man  in  New  England,  neither  do  I  think  there  is  one  man  in 
the  United  States,  who  would  dare  to  stand  the  open  defender  of 
Mr.  Packard  in  the  course  he  has  taken,  and  in  view  of  the  facts  as 
they  are  now  known  to  exist." 

Now  I  would  like  to  ask  Dr.  McFarland,  where  are  to  be  found 
these  "  bonds  of  generous  sympathy "  to  which  he  refers  ?  in  the 
region  of  the  west,  or  in  the  east  ? 

Here,  where  the  Doctor's  assertion  is  found  to  be  plainly  contra- 
dicted by  facts,  can  his  simple  assertions  be  relied  upon  as  infallible 
testimony  and  infallible  authority  ? 

Again,  another  extract,  and  I  am  done. 

Dr.  McFarland  writes,  "  I  have  no  question  but  that  Mrs.  Pack- 


ILLINOIS  LEGISLATURE.  ]_]_ 

ard's  committal  here  was  as  justifiable  as  in  the  majority  of  those 
now  here." 

Now  if  this  statement  of  your  superintendent  is  true,  viz.:  that  I 
am  a  fair  specimen  of  the  majority  of  his  patients,  then  the  Doctor 
himself  must  admit  that  the  majority  of  inmates  there  are  capable  of 
assuming  a  self-reliant  position,  and,  instead  of  being  supported  there 
as  State  paupers,  as  I  was  during  my  imprisonment  of  three  years, 
ought  they  not  to  be  liberated,  and  supporting  themselves  and  their 
families  as  I  am  now  doing  ? 

Mr.  Packard  has  become  an  object  of  charity  since  he  cast  me 
penniless  upon  the  world,  while  I  have,  without  charity,  not  only 
supported  myself,  but  have  already  become  voluntarily  responsible 
for  his  support,  and  the  support  and  education  of  my  children,  from 
the  avails  of  my  own  hard  labor,  since  my  discharge  from  my  prison ; 
while  at  the  same  time,  he  will  not  allow  me  to  live  in  the  house  with 
my  dear  children,  lest  my  heresies  contaminate  them ! 

Now,  Gentlemen,  is  it  not  better  that  I  be  thus  employed,  selling 
my  books  for  their  support,  rather  than  be  held  as  your  State's  pris- 
oner and  State's  pauper  simply  because  my  "  views  of  things"  do  not 
happen  to  coincide  with  your  Superintendent's  views  of  things  ? 

It  is  true,  and,  gentlemen,  your  Superintendent's  own  statement 
verifies  it,  that  I  am  not  the  only  one  who  has  been  so  unjustly  im- 
prisoned there,  and  in  the  name  and  behalf  of  those  now  there,  I  beg 
of  this  body  that  you  extend  to  such  a  fair  trial  or  a  discharge. 
Really,  the  claims  of  humanity  and  the  honor  of  your  State  both 
demand  that  my  case  stimulate  the  Illinois  legislature  of  1867  to  pro- 
vide legal  safeguards  against  false  commitments  like  my  own. 

Permit  me  here  to  add,  that  although  I  have  come  from  Massa- 
chusetts to  Illinois  at  my  own  expense,  without  money  and  without 
price,  for  the  express  purpose  of  bringing  these  claims  of  oppressed 
humanity  to  your  notice,  I  do  not  demand  nor  ask  for  any  remunera- 
tion for  my  false  imprisonment  in  your  State  institution,  nor  for  any 
personal  redress  of  those  legal  wrongs  which  have  deprived  me  of 
my  reputation,  my  home,  my  property,  my  children,  my  liberty ;  but 
I  do  ask  that  the  legal  liabilities  to  such  like  outrages  may  be  effect- 
ually removed  by  this  legislature,  and  that  the  justice  of  a  trial  by 
jury  may  be  forthwith  extended  to  those  now  in  that  asylum,  who 
have  been  consigned  to  an  indefinite  term  of  imprisonment,  without 
any  trial. 

Gentlemen  of  this  assembly,  in  view  of  the  facts  now  before  you, 
please  allow  me  the  additional  privilege  or  adding  a  few  suggestions. 


12  ADDRESS  TO  THE 

You  see  it  has  become  a  demonstrated  fact  that  I,  a  minister's  wife, 
of  Illinois,  have  been  three  years  imprisoned  in  your  State,  by  your 
laws,  simply  because  I  could  not  tell  a  lie — that  is,  I  could  not  be 
false  to  my  own  honest  convictions ;  and  since  I  simply  claim  the 
right  to  be  an  individual  instead  of  a  parasite,  or  an  echo  of  others' 
views,  I  am  branded  by  your  laws  as  hopelessly  insane ! 

Is  it  not  time  for  you  to  legislate  on  this  subject,  by  enacting  laws 
which  shall  make  it  a  crime  to  treat  an  Illinois  citizen  as  an  insane 
person  simply  for  the  utterance  of  opinions,  no  matter  how  absurd 
those  opinions  may  be  to  others  ?  Opinions  cannot  harm  the  truth, 
nor  the  individual,  especially  if  they  are  absurd  or  insane  opinions. 

But  for  irregularities  of  conduct,  such  as  my  persecutors  have  been 
guilty  of,  the  law  ought  to  be  made  to  investigate.  Imprisonment 
for  religious  belief !  What  is  it  but  treason  against  the  vital  princi- 
ple of  this  American  Government,  viz. :  religious  toleration  ? 

Would  that  I  could  have  claimed  protection  under  the  banner  of 
my  country's  flag,  while  a  citizen  of  Illinois.  But  no ;  this  unju^  t 
statute  law  has  consigned  me  to  the  reign  of  despotism.  And  so  are 
all  my  married  sisters  in  Illinois  liable  to  this  consignment,  so  long 
as  this  barbarous  law  is  in  force. 

And  O !  the  horrors  of  such  a  consignment !  Only  think  of  put- 
ting your  own  delicate,  sensitive  daughter  through  the  scenes  I  have 
been  put  through.  Do  you  think  she  would  have  come  out  unharmed? 
God  only  knows.  But  this  I  do  know  :  that  it  is  one  principle  of 
ethics,  that  a  person  is  very  apt  to  become  what  they  are  taken  to 
be.  You  may  take  the  sanest  person  in  the  world,  and  tell  them 
they  are  insane,  and  treat  them  as  your  Superintendent  treats  them 
there — it  is  the  most  trying  ordeal  a  person  can  pass  through  and 
not  really  become  insane. 

And  most  reverently  does  Mrs.  Packard  attribute  it  to  God's  grace 
alone,  for  carrying  her  safely  through  this  most  awful  ordeal,  un- 
harmed, and — I  am  almost  tempted  to  add — God  himself  could  not 
have  done  this  thing  without  the  strictest  conformity  on  my  part,  to 
His  own  laws  of  nature,  in  connection  with  a  well-balanced  organiza- 
tion. As  it  is,  to  God's  grace  alone.  I  spy  it,  I  am  a  monument  for 
the  age — a  standing  miracle,  almost,  of  the  power  of  faith  to  shield 
one  from  insanity,  by  having  come  out  unharmed,  through  a  series 
of  trials,  such  as  would  crush  into  a  level  with  the  beasts,  I  may  say, 
any  one,  who  did  not  freely  use  this  antidote. 

Here  let  me  make  one  practical  suggestion.  Is  that  kind  of  treat- 
ment which  causes  insanity  the  best  adapted  to  cure  insanity  ? 


ILLINOIS  LEGISLATURE  J3 

O .  my  brothers !  my  gallant  brothers !  will  you  not  protect  U3 
from  such  liabilities  ?  Will  you  not  have  the  manliness  to  grant  to 
us,  married  women,  the  legal  right  to  stand  just  where  our  own  ao 
tions  will  place  us,  regardless  of  our  views  of  things,  or  our  private 
opinions  ?  that  is,  may  we  not  have  the  privilege  of  being  legally  pro- 
tected, as  you  are,  in  our  rights  of  opinion  and  conscience,  so  long 
as  our  good  conduct  deserves  such  protection  ? 

"We  have  an  individuality  of  our  own,  which  is  sacred  to  ourselves ; 
will  you  not  protect  our  personal  liberty,  while  in  the  lawful,  lady- 
like exercise  of  it?  for  personal  liberty  is  a  boon  of  inestimable  val- 
ue to  ourselves  as  well  as  you,  and  by  guarding  our  liberty  against  false 
commitment  there,  you  may  have  fortified  the  personal  liberty  of 
some  of  Illinois'  best  and  sanest  class  of  citizens,  whose  interests  are 
now  vitally  imperiled  by  this  unjust  law. 

Yes,  gentlemen,  I,  their  representative,  now  stand  legally  exposed 
to  be  kidnapped  again,  and  hid  for  life  in  some  lunatic  Asylum ;  and 
since  no  laws  defend  me,  this  may  yet  be  done.  Should  public  sen- 
timent— the  only  law  of  self-defence  I  have — endorse  the  statements 
of  this  terrible  conspiracy  against  the  personal  liberty  and  stainless 
character  of  an  innocent  woman,  I  may  yet  again  be  entombed,  to 
die  a  martyr  for  the  Christian  principle  of  the  identity  of  a  married 
woman.  Three  long  years  of  false  imprisonment  does  not  satisfy  this 
lust  for  power  to  oppress  the  helpless.  No ;  nothing  but  a  life-long 
entombment  can  satisfy  the  selfhood  of  my  only  legal  protector. 

O  !  I  do  want  laws  to  protect  me,  and,  as  an  American  citizen,  I 
not  only  ask,  but  I  demand  that  my  personal  liberty  shall  depend 
upon  the  decision  of  a  jury — not  upon  the  verdict  of  public  senti- 
ment, or  forged  certificates,  either. 

My  gallant  brothers,  be  true  to  my  cause,  if  false  to  me.  Be  true 
to  woman !  defend  her  as  your  weak,  confiding  sister,  and  Heaven 
shall  reward  you ;  for  God  is  on  her  side,  "  and  he  always  wins  who 
sides  with  God." 

Fear  not ;  fear  nothing  so  much  as  the  sin  of  simply  not  doing 
your  duty.  Maintain  your  death  grapple  in  defence  of  the  heaven- 
born  principles  of  liberty  and  justice  to  all  human  kind,  especially  to 
woman.  Emancipate  her  !  for  above  this  cross  hangs  suspended  a 
crown,  of  which  even  our  martyred  Lincoln's  crown  of  negro  eman- 
cipation, is  but  a  mere  type  and  shadow  in  brilliancy.  And  God 
grant  that  this  immortal  crown  of  unfading  honor  may  be  the  right- 
ful heritage — the  well-earne/l  reward  of  Illinois'  gallant  sons,  as  em- 
bodied in  their  legislators. 


14  ADDitESS  TQ  THE 

And  all  we  have  to  ask  for  Dr.  McFarland  is,  that  you  not  only 
allow,  but  require  thin  great  man  to  stand  just  where  his  own  actions 
will  place  him,  regardless  of  his  position,  or  the  opinion  of  his  ene- 
mies or  his  friends. 

Gentlemen,  permit  me  also  to  say,  that  when  you  have  once  lib- 
erated the  sane  inmates  of  that  hospital,  and  effectually  fortified  the 
rights  of  the  sane  citizens  of  Illinois  against  false  commitments  there, 
you  will  have  taken  the  first  progressive  step  in  the  right  direction, 
in  relation  to  this  great  humanitarian  reform.  And  here  I  will  say, 
that  from  what  I  do  know  of  the  practical  workings  of  the  internal 
machinery  of  that  institution,  as  seen  from  behind  the  curtain,  from 
the  standpoint  of  a  patient,  and  from  what  I  know  of  the  personal 
and  private  character  of  Illinois  Statesmen,  I  predict  it  will  not  be 
the  last. . 

And,  notwithstanding  the  temporary  disfigurement  of  Illinois'  proud 
escutcheon  by  this  foul  stain  of  religious  persecution,  which,  I  regret 
to  say,  it  now  has  upon  it,  may  God  grant  that  the  present  statesmen 
of  Illinois  may  yet  so  fully  vindicate  its  honor,  as  that  the  van  of 
this  great  humanitarian  reform  may  yet  be  heralded  to  the  world  in 
the  action  of  Illinois  representatives,  as  embodied  in  this  legislature 
of  1867. 

I  hold  myself  in  readiness,  gentlemen,  to  answer  any  questions,  or 
perform  any  service  in  behalf  of  this  cause  you  may  desire  of  me  ; 
and,  as  an  incentive  to  your  acting  efficiently  in  this  matter,  I  will 
state  that  several  legislatures  in  New  England  are  watching  eagerly 
the  result  of  my  application  to  you,  this  winter,  and  they  have  en- 
gaged me  to  report  to  them  the  result. 

I  desire,  therefore,  an  opportunity  to  vindicate  your  character  be- 
before  these  legislatures,  on  the  basis  of  your  own  actions,  for,  after 
you  know  of  the  existence  of  this  barbarous  law,  and  its  direct  ap- 
plication to  me,  one  of  its  wronged  and  injured  victims,  as  you  now 
do,  I  shall  no  longer  be  able  to  plead  your  ignorance  of  the  existence 
.of  such  a  law,  as  your  vindication  from  the  charge  of  barbarism,  and 
you  must  know  that  the  intelligence  of  the  whole  civilized  world 
cannot  but  call  a  State  barbarous  in  its  legislation,  so  long  as  this 
black  and  cruel  law  has  an  existence,  even  in  continuing  to  hold  its 
\victims  in  its  despotic  grasp. 

I  know,  gentlemen,  that  since  1 865,  I  can  plead  that  you  have 
nominally  repealed  it,  but  so  long  as  this  law  of  'Go  is  without  a 
penalty  to  enforce  it,  it  is  only  a  half  law,  or  in  other  words,  it  is 
merely  legislative  advice — it  is  not  a  statute  law,  and  so  long  as  you 


ILLINOIS  LEGISLATURE  i  K 

do  retain  its  injured  victims  in  their  false  imprisonment,  you  have  rot 
rep-uled  it. 

Now,  gentlemen,  much  as  I  would  like  to  gratify  the  wishes  of  a 
member  of  your  House,  in  erasing  the  recoid  of  this  laAv  from  my 
bo 3k,  o.i  th .3  ground  of  its  having  been  already  repealed,  I  cannot 
conscientiously  do  it  so  long  as  that  institution  continues  to  receive 
inmates  without  a;iy  trial  by  jury,  or  retains  those  who  have  never 
had  any  such  trial. 

No,  gentlemen ;  this  law  and  its  application  to  .me,  cannot  be  ob- 
literated, for  it  has  already  become  a  page  of  Illinois'  history,  which 
must  stand  to  all  coming  time,  as  a  living  witness  against  the  legisla- 
tion of  Illinois  in  the  nineteenth  century.  There  is  one  way,  and 
only  one,  by  which  you  can  redeem  your  State  from  this  foul  blct  of 
religious  persecution  which  now  desecrates  your  nationality  in  the  es 
timation  of  the  whole  civilized  world,  and  that  is  by  such  practical 
repentance  as  this  bill  demands.  This  done,  I  can  then,  and  only 
till  then,  vindicate  the  character  of  Illinois  statesmen,  on  the  ground 
of  their  own  ho  lorable  aj,:ts. 

In  an  appendix  to  this  book,  you  will  then  find  not  only  Mrs. 
Packard's  appeal  to  Illinois'  legislature  of  1867,  but  also  the  noble 
manly  response  of  its  legislators,  as  echoed  by  their  own  honorable 
acts.  Bat,  should  you,  for  any  reason,  choose  to  turn  a  deaf  ear  to 
this  appeal  in  defence  of  your  injured  citizens,  I  shall  not  rest  until 
I  have  made  this  same  appeal  to  the  people  of  this  State,  and  asked 
from  them  the  justice  I  am  denied  from  their  representatives.  And 
should  I  be  denied  there,  I  shall  go  to  work  single-handed  and  alone, 
in  liberating  this  oppressed  class,  by  the  habeas  corpus  act,  before  I 
shall  feel  that  my  skirts  are  washed  from  the  guilt  of  hiding  these 
public  sins  against  humanity,  which  I  know  to  have  existence  in  the 
State  of  Illinois, 

And  can  you  blame  me  for  this  manifestation  of  my  heart  sympa- 
thy for  my  imprisoned  sisters  ?  Can  a  sensitive  woman  feel  a  less 
degree  of  sympathy  for  her  own  sex,  when  she  knows,  as  I  do  from 
my  own  bitter  experience,  the  injustice  they  are  daily  and  hourly  now 
receiving  in  that  dismal  prison  ? 

And  0 !  if  you  or  your  darling  daughter  were  in  their  places, 
would  you  feel  like  reproaching  me  as  a  fanatic,  for  thus  volunteering 
in  your  defence  ?  No ;  you  would  not.  But  I  should  reproach  my- 
self,, and  so  must  a  just  God  reproach  me,  should  I  dare  to  do  le.«s  ; 
for  there  is  a  vow  recorded  in  the  archives  of  high  Heaven,  that  Mrs. 
Packard  will  do  all  in  her  power  to  do,  for  the  deliverance  of  these 


1  g  ADDRESS  TO  THE  ILLINOIS  LEGISLATURE. 

victims  of  injustice,  if  God  will  but  grant  her  deliverance.  I  am  de- 
livered !  my  vow  stands  recorded  there  !  Shall  this  vow  be  a  witness 
against  me,  or  shall  it  not  ? 

Gentlemen  of  this  Assembly,  I  shall  try  to  redeem  that  pledge, 
and  so  far  as  you  are  concerned,  my  work  is  now  done.  Yours  re- 
mains to  be  done.  God  grant  you  may  dare  to  do  right !  that  you 
may  have  the  moral  courage  to  dare  to  settle  this  great  question, 
just  upon  its  own  intrinsic  merits,  independent  of  the  sanity  or  the 
insanity  of  its  defender. 

Very  respectfully  submitted  to  the  General  Assembly  of  Illinois, 

now  in  Session,  by — 

» 

MRS.  E.  P.  W.  PACKARD. 

SPRINGFIELD,  ILLINOIS,  February  12th,  1867. 

The  result  of  this  appeal  was  the  passage  of  the  "Personal 
Liberty  Bill,"  entitled  "An  Act  for  the  Protection  of  Personal 
Liberty." 


ACTION  OF  ILLINOIS  LEGISLATURE  ON  THIS  SUBJECT. 


AN  ACT  in  relation  to  Insane  persons  and  the  Illinois   State  Hos- 
pital for  the  Insane. 

SECTION  1.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  People  of  the  State  of  Illinois, 
represented  in  the  General  Assembly :  That  the  circuit  judges  of  this 
Satte  are  hereby  vested  with  power  to  act  under  and  execute  the 
provisions  of  the  act  passed  on  the  12th  of  February,  18.~j3,  entitled 
"  An  act  to  amend  an  act  entitled  '  an  act  to  establish  the  Illinois 
State  Hospital  for  the  Insane,'"  in  force  March  1st,  1847,  in  so  far 
as  those  provisions  confer  power  upon  judges  of  county  courts ;  and 
no  trial  shall  be  had  of  the  question  of  sanity  or  insanity  before  any 
judge  or  court,  without  the  presence  or  in  the  absence  of  the  person 
alleged  to  be  insane.  And  jurors  shall  be  freeholders  and  heads  of 
families. 

SEC.  2.  Whenever  application  is  made  to  a  circuit  or  county 
judge,  under  the  provisions  of  this  act  and  the  act  to  which  this  is  an 
amendment,  for  proceedings  to  inquire  into  and  ascertain  the  insanity 
or  sanity  of  any  person  alleged  to  be  insane,  the  judge  shall  order 
the  clerk  of  the  court  of  which  he  is  judge  to  issue  a  writ,  requiring 
the  person  alleged  to  be  insane  to  be  brought  before  him,  at  the  time 
and  place  appointed  for  the  hearing  of  the  matter,  which  writ  may  be 
directed  to  the  sr  eriff  or  any  constable  of  the  county,  or  the  person 
having  the  custody  or  charge  of  the  person  alleged  to  be  insane,  and 
shall  be  executed  and  returned,  and  the  person  alleged  to  be  insane 
brought  before  the  said  judge  before  any  jury  is  sworn  to  inquire  into 
the  truth  of  the  matters  alleged  in  the  petition  on  which  said  writ 
was  issued. 

SEC.  3.  Persons  with  reference  to  whom  proceedings  may  be 
instituted  for  the  purpose  of  deciding  the  question  of  sanity  or  insan- 
ity, shall  have  the  right  to  process  for  witnesses,  and  to  have  wit- 
nesses examined  before  the  jury ;  they  shall  also  have  the  right  to 
employ  counsel  or  any  friend  to  appear  in  their  behalf,  so  that  a  fair 
trial  may  be  had  in  the  premises ;  anl  no  resident  of  the  State  shall 
hereafter  be  admitted  into  the  hospital  for  the  insane,  excfpt  upon 
the  order  of  a  court  or  judge,  or  of  the  production  of  a  warrant  issued 

17 


jg  H*.       ACTION  OF  ILLINOIS  LEGISLATURE. 

according  to  the  provisions  of  the  act  to  which  this  is  an  amend- 
ment. 

SEC.  4.  The  accounts  of  said  institution  shall  be  so  kept  and  re- 
ported to  the  general  assembly,  as  to  show  the  kind,  quantity  and 
cost  of  any  articles  purchased  for  use ;  and  upon  quarterly  settle- 
ments with  the  auditor,  a  list  of  the  accounts  paid  shall  be  filed,  and 
also  the  original  vouchers,  as  now  required. 

SEC.  5.  All  former  laws  conflicting  with  the  provisions  of  this  act 
are  hereby  repealed,  and  this  act  shall  take  effect  on  its  passage. 

Approved  February  16,  1865. 

Two  years  practice  under  this  law  developed  its  inability  to  re- 
move the  evils  it  was  designed  to  remedy.  This  law,  having  no 
penalty  to  enforce  it,  was  found  to  be  violated  in  many  instances,  as 
it  was  ascertained  to  be  a  fact  that  Dr.  McFarland  was  constantly 
receiving  patients  under  the  old  law  of  1851,  which  this  law  had 
nominally  repealed.  Therefore,  a  petition  was  sent  to  the  legislature 
of  1867,  signed  by  I.  N.  Arnold,  J.  Young  Scammon,  and  thirty-six 
other  men  of  the  first  legal  standing  in  Chicago,  asking  for  the  prac- 
tical repeal  of  the  old  law  of  1851,  by  the  enforcement  of  the  new 
law  of  1865. 

The  old  law  of  1851  is  as  follows,  viz. :  "  Married  women  and 
infants  who,  in  the  judgment  of  the  medical  superintendent,  (meaning 
the  Superintendent  of  the  Illinois  State  Hospital  for  the  Insane,)  are 
evidently  insane  or  distracted,  may  be  entered  or  detained  in  the 
hospital  on  the  request  of  the  husband-  of  the  woman,  or  the  guardian 
of  the  infant,  without  the  evidence  of  insanity  required  in  other 
cases." 

The  legislature  was  led  to  see  that  by  the  practical  enforcement 
of  this  unjust  law,  the  personal  liberty  of  married  women  and  infants 
was  still  imperiled,  and  also  that  the  law  of  1865  did  not  relieve  the 
wronged  and  injured  victims  of  this  unjust  law,  now  imprisoned  at 
Jacksonville  Insane  Asylum.  Therefore,  the  legislature  of  1867 
passed  the  following  "  Act  for  the  protection  of  Personal  Liberty." 

AN  ACT  for  the  Protection  of  Personal  Liberty. 

SECTION  1-  Be  it  enacted  by  the  People  of  the  State  of  Illinois, 
represented  in  the  General  Assembly:  That  no  superintendent,  medi- 
cal director,  agent  or  other  person,  having  the  management,  super- 
vision or  control  of  the  Insane  Hospital  at  Jacksonville,  or  of  any 


ACTION  OF  ILLINOIS  LEGISLATIVE.  xg 

hospital  or  asylum  for  insane  and  distracted  persons  in  this  State, 
fhull  receive,  detain  or  keep  in  custody  at  such  asylum  or  hospital 
any  person  who  has  not  been  declared  insane  or  distracted  by  a  ver- 
dict of  a  jury  and  the  order  of  a  court,  as  provided  by  an  act  of  the 
general  as-embly  of  this  State,  approved  February  16,  1865. 

SEO.  2.  Any  person  having  charge  of,  or  the  management  or  con-' 
trol  of  any  hospital  for  the  insane,  or  of  any  asylum  for  the  insane  in 
this  State,  who  shall  receive,  keep  or  detain  any  person  in  such 
asylum  or  hospital,  against  the  wishes  of  such  person,  without  the 
record  or  proper  certificate  of  the  trial  required  by  the  said  act  of 
1865,  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  a  high  misdemeanor,  and  liable  to  in- 
dictment, and  on  conviction  be  fined  not  more  than  one  thousand 
dollars,  nor  less  than  five  hundred  dollars,  or  imprisoned  not  exceed- 
ing one  year,  nor  less  than  three  month5*,  or  both,  in  the  discretion 
of  the  court  before  which  such  conviction  is  had :  provided,  that  one 
half  of  such  fine  shall  be  paid  to  the  informant,  and  the  balance  shall 
go  to  the  benefit  of  the  hospital  or  asylum  in  which  said  person  was 
detained. 

SEC.  3.  Any  person  now  confined  in  any  insane  hospital  or 
asylum,  and  all  persons  now  confined  in  the  hospital  for  tne  insane 
at  Jacksonville,  who  have  not  been  tried  and  found  insane  or  dis- 
tracted by  the  verdict  of  a  jury,  as  provided  in  and  contemplated  by 
said  act  of  the  general  assembly  of  1865,  shall  be  permitted  to  have 
such  trial.  All  such  persons  shall  be  informed  by  the  trustees  of 
said  hospital  or  a'ylum,  in  their  discretion,  of  the  provisions  of  this 
act  and  of  the  said>act  of  1865,  and  on  their  request,  such  persons 
shall  be  entitled  to  such  trial  within  a  reasonable  time  thereafter : 
provided,  that  such  trial  may  be  had  in  the  county  where  such  per- 
son is  confined  or  detained,  unless  such  person,  his  or  her  friends, 
shall,  within  thirty  days  after  any  such  person  may  demand  a  trial 
under  the  provisions  of  said  act  of  1865,  provide  for  the  transporta- 
tion of  such  person  to,  and  demand  trial  in  the  county  where  such 
insane  person  resided  previous  to  said  detention,  in  which  case  such 
trial  shall  take  place  in  said  last  mentioned  county. 

SEC.  4.  All  persons  confined  as  aforesaid,  if  not  found  insane  or 
distracted  by  a  trial  and  the  verdict  of  a  jury  as  above,  and  in  the 
said  act  of  186")  provided,  within  two  months  after  the  passage  of 
this  act,  shall  be  set  at  liberty  and  discharged. 

SEC.  5.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  State's  attorneys  for  the  seve- 
ral counties  to  prosecute  any  suit  arising  under  the  provisions  of 
this  act. 


2Q  ACTION  OF  ILLINOIS  LSCHSLATCIIS. 

SEC.  6.     This  act  shall  be  deemed  a  public  act,  and  take  effect  and 
be  in  force  from  and  after  its  passage. 
Approved  March  5th,  1867. 

The  public  will  see  that,  under  the  humane  provisions  of  this  act, 
all  the  inmates  of  6very  insane  asylum  in  the  State  of  Illinois,  whe- 
ther public  or  private,  who  have  been  incarcerated  without  the  ver- 
dict of  a  jury  that  they  are  insane,  are  now  entitled  to  a  jury  trial, 
and  unless  this  trial  is  granted  them  within  sixty  days  from  the  5th 
of  March,  1867,  they  are  discharged,  and  can  never  be  incarcerated 
again  without  the  verdict  of  a  jury  that  they  are  insane.  No  person 
can  be  detained  there  after  sixty  days,  who  has  not  been  declared 
insane  by  a  jury. 

It  is  thus  that  the  barbarities  of  the  law  of  1851  are  wiped  out  by 
this  act  of  legislative  justice.  Now,  all  married  women  and  infants 
who  have  been  imprisoned  "  without  evidence  of  insanity,"  as  this 
unjust  law  allows,  and  who  are  still  living  victims  of  this  cruel  law, 
will  now  be  liberated  from  their  false  imprisonment,  unless  they  have 
become  insane  by  the  inhumanity  of  their  confinement.  And  if  it  is 
found  by  the  testimony  that  they  were  sane  when  they  were  im- 
prisoned, and  that  they  have  become  insane  by  being  kept  there,  is  it 
humane  to  perpetuate  the  cause  of  their  insanity,  under  the  pretext 
that  their  cure  demands  it  ?  Or,  in  other  words,  is  that  kind  of 
treatment  which  caused  their  insanity  the  best  adapted  to  cure  their 
insanity  ? 

This  great  question,  \»ho  shall  be  retained  as  fit  subjects  for  the 
insane  asylum,  is  now  to  depend,  in  all  cases,  upon  the  decision  of  a 
jury  ;  and  each  case  must  be  legally  investigated,  as  the  law  of  1865 
directs. 


ANOTHER    ACT    OP    LEGISLATIVE    JUSTICE APPOINTMENT     OF    AN 

INVESTIGATING  COMMITTEE. 

Resolved,  the  Senate  concurring,  That  a  joint  committee  of  three 
from  this  House  and  two  from  the  Senate  be  appointed  to  visit  the 
hospital  for  the  insane,  after  the  adjournment  of  the  legislature,  at 
such  times  as  they  may  deem  necessary,  with  power  to  send  for  per- 
sons and  papers,  and  to  examine  witnesses  on  oath ;  that  said  com- 
mittee be  instructed  thoroughly  to  examine  and  inquire  into  the  finan- 
cial and  sanitary  management  of  said  institution  ;  to  ascertain  whether 


ACTION  OF  ILLINOIS  LEGISLATURE.  21 

any  of  the  inmates  are  improperly  detained  in  the  hospital,  or  un- 
justly placed  there,  and  whether  the  inmates  are  humanely  and  kindly 
treated,  and  to  confer  with  the  trustees  of  said  hospital  in  regard  to 
the  speedy  correction  of  any  abuses  found  to  exist,  and  to  report  to 
the  Governor,  from  time  to  time,  at  their  discretion. 

And  be  it  further  resolved,  That  said  committee  be  instructed  to 
examine  the  financial  and  general  management  of  the  other  State 
institutions. 

Adopted  by  the  House  of  Kepresentatives, 

F.  CORWIN,  Speaker. 

Concurred  in  by  the  Senate,- 

WM.  BROSS,  Speaker. 

The  following  gentlemen  compose  the  committee  :  Hon.  E.  Bald- 
win, Farm  Ridge,  LaSalle  county ;  Hon.  T.  B.  "Wakeman,  Howard, 
McHenry  county;  Hon.  John  B.  Ricks,  Taylorville,  Christian 
county,  on  the  part  of  the  House  of  Representatives.  Hon.  Allen  C. 
Fuller,  Belvidere,  Boone  county ;  Hon.  A.  J.  Hunter,  Paris,  Edgar 
county,  on  the  part  of  the  Senate. 


